ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday informed global leaders that Nigeria is mobilising climate finance through a newly activated carbon market framework projected to generate between $2.5bn and $3bn annually over the next decade.
Addressing participants at the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, themed ‘The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go,’ Tinubu said Nigeria has taken “vigorous regulatory steps” to reinforce its climate governance framework.
He noted that these efforts include the adoption of the National Carbon Market Activation Policy and the rollout of the National Carbon Registry to strengthen emissions reporting and verification processes.
“Nigeria feels at the heart of development opportunity.
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“In this spirit, Nigeria has launched a climate and green industrialisation investment to unlock $20bn to $30 billion annually in climate finance,” the President said.
Tinubu referenced the 2023 Electricity Act, which makes provisions for decentralised and inclusive energy access for rural communities, off-grid health centres, schools, markets, and other underserved areas.
He explained that the government is overhauling the country’s energy framework to deliver sustainable power solutions to these communities.
“Nigeria recognises the urgent need to deploy and advance technologies to improve green efficiency, modernise infrastructure, and accelerate the delivery of sustainable energy to underserved areas,” Tinubu said.
The President announced a range of financing initiatives, including a climate investment platform targeting $500m for climate-resilient infrastructure, a national climate platform designed to mobilise $2bn in capital investment, and a $50bn sub-regional green bond that was oversubscribed by 97.7 per cent.
Tinubu also underscored the role of the World Bank, revealing that the institution is implementing a $750m programme aimed at expanding clean electricity access to more than 17.5 million people.
He said Nigeria’s energy transition plan integrates “climate mitigation, industrial growth, and social development into a single coherent framework,” with the goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2060 while ensuring universal access to energy.
The President called for stronger partnerships with developed countries in areas of technology transfer, knowledge sharing, and innovation, noting that “the adoption of artificial intelligence to optimise efficiency is no longer a matter of the future.”
Nigeria approved the National Carbon Market Framework in October 2025, establishing guidelines for carbon credit registration, issuance, and verification.
In November, the government also operationalised the Climate Change Fund and reinstated the National Council on Climate Change in the federal budget.
The carbon market is intended to encourage emissions-reduction projects in sectors such as forestry, renewable energy, clean cooking, and agriculture.
Nigeria submitted its updated climate commitments to the United Nations in September 2025.