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Partners push for bankable initiatives to expand Nigeria’s climate action  

Michael Simire
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Partners push for bankable initiatives to expand Nigeria’s climate action  

Nigerians have been encouraged to come up with bankable projects that meet the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) standards to improve the country’s access to funding for climate-related initiatives.

NCCCS
Cross session of participants during the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Green Climate Fund (GCF), NIRSAL, and the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS) partnership meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital

This call, according to a group of collaborators who met in Abuja on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, to brainstorm on how to address the problematic issue of climate finance, lamented that the nation is falling behind in obtaining funds for the implementation of climate action-driven activities.

The group, which consists of the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Green Climate Fund (GCF),  Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), and the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS), also talked about the expansion strategy for access entities (AEs), project assessment requirements, and the criteria for obtaining financing to accelerate the execution of green schemes across Nigeria.

Mr. Marcus Mayrfrom, GCF’s Senior Urban Sector Specialist, stated at the event that his organisation is happy to be a part of the cooperation, which aims to support Nigeria’s climate action pathways.

In addition to creating an investment platform to support the strategic implementation of initiatives, he said the GCF is also delighted to evaluate the needs and any tools and instruments needed to scale up climate action and country-specific programmes.

NIRSAL representative, Mr. Austin Ike, in his remarks, said his establishment has de-risked its activities within the agricultural sector to curb the threats of flooding, drought and other climate challenges on food production.

Similar to the previous speaker, he praised NIRSAL’s participation in the collaboration, especially given its nexus and ability to assist the country in addressing its energy and food security issues.

The Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS), Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, in her speech, said that Nigeria is looking forward to having two entities accredited before the Conference of Parties (COP 30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that is coming up in Belem, Brazil, later in the year.

She added that the nation is working on presenting bankable projects during this conference to enhance its opportunities to tap into the various global climate finances.

Mr. Soji Omisore, from the Investment and Strategic Investment Division and former Deputy Director of Private Finance at the GCF, said that the GCF aims to work more with the private sector based on the mobilisation perspectives, ROI, opportunity costs and critical donor landscapes shaping the climate financing structure globally.

Furthermore, he hinted that GCF receives most funding from donors in the Global North, and the second replenishment, GCF-2 (spanning 2024-2027), raised roughly $12.8 billion in pledges from 31 countries, highlighting that they are very much focused on mitigation and adaptation projects; because for them, climate impact is non-negotiable.

“When we get approached in terms of funding projects, many people come to us thinking that if a project is financially viable, then something will be attractive. That is only one side of it. In a project that has co-benefits, the project that we consider must have a front and a centre in mitigation and adaptation,” he asserts.

As a result, he went on to say that they are flexible in the type of funds that they provide, which include debt, equity, grants and guarantees.

“The point we are trying to make is that we can tailor the financial needs of the projects within the context of that region of that project to meet the needs of the country and measure the impact. What we are looking to achieve is the output, and our funding is concessional,” Mr. Omisore concluded.

 By Nsikak Emmanuel Ekere, Abuja

Account for missing N500bn, SERAP tells NNPCL

Michael Simire
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Account for missing N500bn, SERAP tells NNPCL

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Mr. Bayo Bashir Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) Limited, “to account for and explain the whereabouts of the missing N500 billion, which the NNPCL failed to remit to the Federation Account, between October 2024 and December 2024, as revealed by the World Bank.”

Bashir Bayo Ojulari,
Mr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, New GCEO, NNPC Ltd

SERAP urged Mr. Ojulari “to identify those suspected to be involved, surcharge them for the full amount involved, and hand them over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and prosecution.”

SERAP also urged Mr. Ojulari “to invite the EFCC and ICPC to investigate the spending and whereabouts of the N500 billion, and to ensure the full recovery and remittance of the money to the Federation Account without further delay”.

The World Bank had last week disclosed that, out of the N1.1 trillion revenue from crude sales and other income in 2024, the NNPCL only remitted N600 billion, leaving a deficit of N500 billion unaccounted for. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also recently called for the subsidy removal savings to be transferred to the national budget.

In the Freedom of Information request dated May 17, 2025, and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “There is a legitimate public interest in explaining the whereabouts of the alleged missing N500 billion oil money and grave violations of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended)”

SERAP said, “The country’s oil wealth ought to be used solely for the benefit of the Nigerian people, and for the sake of the present and future generations.”

According to SERAP, “Nigerians have the right to know why the NNPCL failed to remit the subsidy removal savings to the Federation Account, and why the NNPCL is deliberately denying states and local governments their allocations from the Account, contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended)”.

The letter reads in part: “Nigerians continue to bear the brunt of these missing public funds from the NNPCL meant for the economic development of the country.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel the NNPCL to comply with our requests in the public interest.

“The missing oil revenue reflects a failure of NNPCL accountability more generally and is directly linked to the institution’s continuing failure to uphold the principles of transparency and accountability.

“The Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, and the country’s anti-corruption and human rights obligations rest on the principle that citizens should have access to information regarding the spending of their commonwealth.”

“SERAP notes that the Supreme Court in a groundbreaking judgment recently declared that the Freedom of Information Act ‘is applicable and applies to the public records in the Federation’, including those kept by the NNPCL.

“SERAP is concerned that the Auditor-General of the Federation and Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) have for many years documented reports of disappearance of oil money from the NNPCL.

“The allegations have undermined economic development of the country, trapped the majority of Nigerians in poverty and deprived them of opportunities.

“The failure by the NNPCL to remit the money to the Federation Account is a grave violation of the public trust and the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, national anticorruption laws, and the country’s obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption.

“Despite the country’s enormous oil wealth, ordinary Nigerians have derived very little benefit from oil money primarily because of widespread grand corruption, and the entrenched culture of impunity of perpetrators.

“Combating the corruption epidemic in the oil sector would alleviate poverty, improve access of Nigerians to basic public goods and services, and enhance the ability of the government to meet its human rights and anti-corruption obligations.

“According to our information, the World Bank recently disclosed that out of the N1.1 trillion revenue from crude sales and other income in 2024, the NNPCL only remitted N600bn, leaving a deficit of N500 billion unaccounted for.

“The revenue and other income were expected to be paid into the Federation Account and shared by all levels of government, but the NNPCL reportedly failed to do so.

“SERAP notes that Section 15 (5) of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) requires public institutions to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.

“Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on the NNPCL to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the Constitution.

“Nigeria has made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption to ensure accountability in the management of public resources. Articles 5 and 9 of the UN Convention against Corruption also impose legal obligations on the NNPCL to ensure proper management of public affairs and public funds.

“These commitments ought to be fully upheld and respected.

“Explaining the spending details and whereabouts of the missing N500 billion public funds, identifying those suspected to be responsible and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice and the full recovery of any missing public funds would serve the public interest and end the impunity of perpetrators.

“The missing oil revenue has also impeded Nigerians’ ability to enjoy their economic and social rights and denied them access to essential public goods and services, especially at the time of cost-of-living crisis in the country.

“The missing oil revenue has further damaged the already precarious economy and contributed to very high levels of deficit spending by the government.

“Had the NNPCL accounted for and remitted the alleged missing N500 billion to the Federation Account, it is likely that more funds would have been allocated to the fulfillment of economic and social rights, such as increased spending on public goods and services.

“Without the full recovery and remittance of the missing N500 billion of oil revenue, the dire economic situation may worsen, and Nigerians will continue to be denied access to basic public goods and services.

“The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee to everyone the right to information on the whereabouts of the missing N500 billion of oil revenue.”

Sahara GMD expresses confidence in Tinubu’s energy reforms

Michael Simire
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Sahara GMD expresses confidence in Tinubu’s energy reforms

The Managing Director of Sahara Group, Mr. Kola Adesina, has expressed confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s energy sector reforms.

Kola Adesina
Managing Director of Sahara Group, Mr. Kola Adesina

In an interview for an upcoming State House documentary marking the second anniversary of President Tinubu’s administration, Adesina lauded the government’s policies for improving transparency, regulatory consistency, and expanding investment opportunities.

“The most significant shift I have seen – without a doubt – has been the government’s willingness to confront the long-term inefficiencies within the petroleum sector.

“President Bola Tinubu’s courage in removing the fuel subsidy and market distortions hasn’t been rivalled in the history of Nigeria,” he said.

Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President’s spokesman, in a statement on Thursday, May 15, 2025, said Adesina noted that removing subsidies had created a more sustainable energy environment.

He said this has enabled businesses and policymakers to plan more confidently and clearly.

“The energy sector today is stronger and more sustainable. We can now plan.

“The macro and micro elements are beginning to work together, and there’s strong potential for long-term benefits,” Adesina said.

From a business standpoint, he said the reforms had unlocked access to fair competition and significantly boosted investor confidence.

“For us, it’s about the free market, open market, and transparency. Nothing beats that. When there’s no clarity or consistency, investment becomes difficult.

“But now, we know how to price. It’s open to everyone in the market – whether investing or buying – and you know reform is here and guiding every process,” the energy expert added.

He commended the Tinubu administration’s progress in critical infrastructure, particularly in the gas and power sectors, where the Sahara Group was active.

“Lately, there’s been significant momentum. We’re seeing more alignment between public policy and private sector expectations. The bottlenecks we faced are giving way to common sense decisions.

“We can predict what’s happening and where the country is headed,” he noted.

Adesina further applauded the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), describing it as a game-changer for policy clarity.

He said PIA had become easier to relate with – unlike before when policy inconsistencies were the order of the day.

“Private sector players like us want to invest with the confidence that policy won’t change after we’ve committed scarce resources,” he emphasised.

In the power sector, Adesina welcomed recent efforts by the government to resolve long-standing financial obligations.

“We’ve seen movement on the payment of legacy debts, especially in the power sector.

“Once the government clears those debts, new investors will come in, and existing ones – like us – will deepen our investments. There’s life in the business again,” he stated

He also highlighted encouraging developments in Nigeria’s energy transition, driven by President Tinubu’s focus on natural gas and climate-conscious solutions.

“Gas-to-power is gaining ground. We love what’s happening. We’ve invested, and we’re ready to invest more.

“CNG is now the order of the day – the President has made that a focal point. The carbon credit scheme is also expanding,” Adesina said.

He said the Tinubu administration’s efforts in the last two years represented a solid foundation for Nigeria’s future, and that the current energy landscape was anchored on reliability, accessibility and affordability.

“We’ve had a very complex situation, and while the road ahead won’t be easy in the short term, things will improve.

“The foundation has been laid. It’s being worked on and re-engineered to ensure that prosperity can truly be democratised and felt by the last man, at the last mile,” he added.

By Salif Atojoko

Key rules agreed for credible climate project crediting under UN Carbon Market

Michael Simire
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Key rules agreed for credible climate project crediting under UN Carbon Market

A UN Body responsible for setting up a carbon market under the Paris Agreement adopted important new standards to guide how emission-reducing projects measure their impact.

Martin Hession
Martin Hession, Chair of the Supervisory Body

Known as the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM), it enables countries and other actors to work together on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by generating high-integrity carbon credits that support global efforts to fight climate change.

Key standards agreed

The rules adopted set out how to measure a project’s actual emission reduction impact under the mechanism. Specifically, two key standards were agreed:

  1. A standard for estimating the emissions that would have happened without a project under the mechanism (known as the “baseline”). The adoption of this standard is a historic step in ensuring that crediting under the mechanism reflects the ambition of the Paris Agreement. It includes a requirement for an initial downward adjustment – for example, setting historic or current baselines at a level 10% below business-as-usual emissions – as well as a minimum 1% downward adjustment over time across all baseline approaches. These features are designed to drive ongoing improvement and help avoid over-crediting by steadily lowering the benchmark against which emission reductions are measured.
     
  2. A standard for accounting for any unintended increases in emissions that might happen elsewhere as a result of a project (known as “leakage”). The leakage standard will help those developing methodologies to identify all potential sources of emissions. It clarifies that project-level REDD+ activities must be included in the host country’s national REDD+ strategy in order to qualify, helping ensure alignment with national climate efforts and reinforcing the credibility of emission reductions.

The agreed standards reflect wide input from experts and stakeholders. They are key to ensuring that carbon credits issued under the PACM are ambitious, real, additional, and verifiable.

Further outcomes

Beyond adopting the baseline and leakage standards, the Supervisory Body also made a number of related decisions to support implementation. These include a process of consultation on how project benefits can be shared equitably with host countries, and a renewed focus on capacity building to help countries build the systems they need to take part in the mechanism – including through clearer roles for host countries.

The Supervisory Body also adopted a decision on the transition of cookstove activities, bringing earlier projects in line with the latest available data and guidance.

“This was a very significant meeting. We finally adopted a groundbreaking decision ensuring crediting levels are set consistently with a pathway to net neutrality, through a process of minimum downward adjustment of crediting levels over time.” said Martin Hession, Chair of the Supervisory Body.

“We are already uniquely placed to support host countries considering crediting, and have decided here to enhance communication with countries, by providing a dedicated channel for them to secure their fair share of mitigation benefits, initiating a dialogue on host country roles and responsibilities, as well as exploring options for enhanced and targeted capacity building. We have also moved to ensure the quality of certain transition projects by requesting the application of the most recent applicable data,” added Hession.

Next steps

The outcome of this meeting paves the way for methodologies under the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism to accelerate implementation. While this marks important progress, fewer than anticipated project transitions from the Clean Development Mechanism are expected to result in a short-term funding gap, until a pipeline of new projects using PACM methodologies begins to build from 2026 onward. The Supervisory Body will continue to monitor the funding situation carefully and will be reporting to the Parties to the Paris Agreement on this matter.

With the foundations in place, the Supervisory Body will continue developing other key elements of the mechanism, including additional tools, guidelines, and the mechanism Registry.

The first PACM methodologies are expected to be approved by the Supervisory Body by the end of the year.

CSOs raise alarm over housing crisis in Port Harcourt

Michael Simire
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CSOs raise alarm over housing crisis in Port Harcourt

Civil society organisations (CSOs), under the aegis of the Advisory Forum for Rent (AFR), have raised the alarm over the worsening housing crisis in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas
Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas

Mr. Caesar Enwefah, Convener of the forum, expressed this concern during the inaugural meeting of the newly established group held in Port Harcourt on Thursday, May 15, 2025.

Enwefah attributed the crisis to the escalating cost of renting accommodation in the city, which he blamed on arbitrary rent increases imposed by landlords.

According to him, rental costs have risen by over 300 per cent in low-income, middle-income, and affluent neighbourhoods across Port Harcourt within the past year.

“Due to the spiralling rent situation, many residents are now living in squalid and overcrowded conditions.

“This is why CSOs, and other stakeholders have come together to tackle this troubling development in Rivers State, particularly in Port Harcourt,” he stated.

Enwefah, a human rights activist, warned that, with the current rate of arbitrary increase, rent in the city could triple by December.

He cautioned that unless the situation was urgently addressed, thousands of residents may be rendered homeless.

“Previously, a one-room self-contained apartment was rented for between N150,000 and N200,000.

“Currently, the same apartment is being let for between N500,000 and N700,000. By year-end, the cost could rise to N1.2 million,” he said.

He explained that the situation had left existing and prospective tenants frustrated, with many residents relocating from Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor to suburban areas such as Igbo-Etche and Oyigbo.

Enwefah dismissed claims that the high of rent was solely due to economic pressures, population growth, rural-urban migration, and the influx of migrants from neighbouring states.

He claimed that the development was not as if state was suffering from an active shortage of housing since there were sufficient accommodations available.

Enwefah alleged that the situation was as a result of lapses within the Ministry of Urban Development which created an artificial scarcity of housing.

“The ministry continues to issue licences indiscriminately to landlords, allowing them to convert parts of their properties into shops, thereby reducing the availability of affordable rental spaces,” he claimed.

Enwefah, however, called for an urgent review of the unregulated rent increases to ensure that ordinary citizens could access affordable housing.

Dr Mina Aprioku, Chairman of the forum, echoed Enwefah’s concerns and noted that the situation could be mitigated through the provision of affordable and low-cost housing for the populace.

He urged both the state and local government authorities to make use of the vast undeveloped lands within the state to initiate mass housing projects.

“For example, if a local government chairman were to reclaim a hectare of land in the creeks each month, imagine how many plots could be made available for housing within a year,” Aprioku suggested.

By Desmond Ejibas

LAWMA reiterates economic value of waste

Michael Simire
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LAWMA reiterates economic value of waste

The Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has urged Lagos residents to recognise waste as a valuable economic resource.

Muyiwa Gbadegesin
Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin

Gbadegesin said in a statement signed by Mrs. Folashade Kadiri, Director, Public Affairs, LAWMA, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Lagos.

He emphasised the importance of embracing recycling and the circular economy as key strategies for sustainable waste management in the state.

“Waste is inevitable – it’s a byproduct of human activity. But what people call waste is actually not waste, but money. We must move towards a circular economy where we reduce, reuse, and recycle,” Gbadegesin said.

He noted LAWMA’s continued advocacy for waste sorting at source, urging every household to use separate bins for general waste and recyclables like paper, PET bottles, cans, and textiles.

He said the materials could be exchanged for money or other incentives through the support of recycling companies.

Gbadegesin highlighted the vital role of the private sector in advancing sustainable waste practices.

“The private sector is already active in waste collection. Now, we want them to participate in the recycling business as well,” he added.

He said that following the planned decommissioning of the Olusosun and Solous landfills, LAWMA would develop Transfer Loading Stations (TLS) and Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) at those locations, maximising value extraction from waste.

He added that LAWMA was working with emerging waste-tech companies such as GreenDeall, to build a recycling plant at Abule-Egba to convert specific types of plastic waste into oil for industrial use.

He said the agency would launch a “deal book” later in the year, showcasing investment opportunities within the waste management sector, alongside a digital base map that would allow users to explore areas of interest through  LAWMA website.

Gbadegesin reiterated LAWMA’s commitment to youth development through its Academy, which educates students on waste management practices and offers internship programs for undergraduates.

“We want our alumni to become LAWMA ambassadors in their communities.

“We have distributed 2,000 recycling bins to schools and partnered with recycling companies to collect waste from those schools,” Gbadegesin said.

He said that two pilot modern recycling hubs would soon be established in schools in Yaba to serve as learning centres for students across Lagos Mainland.

He added that the hubs would feature sorting systems for various waste fractions – metal, organic, paper – all managed by the students themselves.

“The most pressing challenge in waste management remains human behaviour.

“Infrastructure alone is not enough. We must change the public mindset. That’s why we are investing in the next generation,” he said.

By Fabian Ekeruche

Focus Biodiversity Forum: An opportunity to scale up conservation efforts

Michael Simire
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Focus Biodiversity Forum: An opportunity to scale up conservation efforts

Often referred to as “the Galapagos of Africa”, the Island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe (STP) is big on biodiversity, with an incredible number of flora and fauna found nowhere else. Despite being the continent’s second smallest country covering just over 1,000 square kilometres, the country is home to various ecosystems ranging from dense forests, mangroves to savannahs, in addition to iconic species like the Dwarf Olive Ibis, Giant Sunbird, and the culturally emblematic African Emerald Cuckoo.

Kariuki Ndang'ang'a
Kariuki Ndang’ang’a, Regional Director for Africa at BirdLife International

Unfortunately like many other places around the world, São Tomé and Príncipe’s biodiversity is under threat from human population growth, deforestation, and climate change among others. According to STP’s Directorate of Forests and Biodiversity, the country has lost 12.2% of its primary forest over the last 20 years.

Thus, protecting this biodiversity jewel is critical. Since 2007, BirdLife International through its Preventing Extinctions Programme, has been supporting conservation efforts in the country aimed at improving knowledge on Critically Endangered species through research and monitoring, training site-based focal points and guides to implement conservation measures for these species, in addition to improving and restoring forest habitats.

Equally important is the need to ensure that resources are sustainably managed. In 2018, BirdLife established a project office in the country, to support management of Natural parks in the archipelago. To date, BirdLife has helped create 21 Special Reserves, an addition to the protected areas network of STP, which now covers over 12,300 hectares.

These reserves are areas adjacent to the Natural Parks with High Conservation Values (HCVs) but were not legally protected before.  Under the Government’s legal recognition through the Decree-Law Nr. 8/2023, the Special Reserves are in the process of becoming sustainably managed while maintaining or improving the conservation status of species.

To ensure sustainable funding for conservation actions in the country, BirdLife and Partners are rolling out the EcoTela Fund, a conservation trust fund aimed at securing 25 million euros over the next decade. The fund will be a financial mechanism designed to ensure a long-term conservation and sustainable use of the country’s natural resources.  Additionally, it will support biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration projects, as well as community-based conservation efforts in both islands.

It is in this context that BirdLife is participating in the first edition of STP’s “Focus Biodiversity” Forum from May 19to 22, 2025. The Forum organised by STP’s Ministry of Environment, and Youth and Sustainable Tourism, in collaboration with BirdLife International, Biopolis, the Gulf of Guinea Biodiversity Centre, the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C), Fauna & Flora International, and the University of Coimbra brings together various conservation organisations in the country, in addition to donors, private sector and the civil society.

This inaugural event will provide a platform to raise STP’s biodiversity profile and underline the need for increased action to prevent biodiversity loss. Further, the event will highlight the importance of scientific research, needed to inform conservation action, in addition to mobilizing funds for conservation.

The “Focus Biodiversity” Forum marks a significant step in promoting environmental conservation in São Tomé and Príncipe. In addition, collaborations and partnerships between various organisations is vital in tackling biodiversity loss in the archipelago. Working through its “local to global” partnership model, BirdLife has achieved significant conservation successes with local communities at the centre of these efforts.

BirdLife is committed to continuing working together with partners and local communities to protect STP’s amazing natural heritage. Together, we can build a greener and more sustainable future for posterity.

By Kariuki Ndang’ang’a, the Regional Director for Africa at BirdLife International

Indigenous peoples, local communities unite to demand action on finance, rights at COP30

Michael Simire
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Indigenous peoples, local communities unite to demand action on finance, rights at COP30

From May 26 to 30, 2025, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities from the world’s largest and most vital tropical forest basins – the Amazon, Congo, Southeast Asia and Latin America – will gather in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, for the First Global Congress of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities from the Forest Basin with the goal of defining the outcomes COP30 should deliver on to protect the territories they guard.

Brazzaville
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo

The landmark global event will bring together over 400 participants, with Indigenous and local community leaders and government representatives – from around the world – including Norway’s Special Envoy for the Ministry of Climate and Environment, Hans Brattskar, and Harlem Siu Mariño Saavedra with the Ministry of Environment of Peru.

As discussions on COP30 continue to focus on logistics aspects of the conference, the congress hopes to bring depth and urgency to the protection of indigenous territories, with a focus on land titling and direct financing to their communities. 

“Our forests are not just carbon sinks or resources – they are our homes, our histories, and our futures. As the world prepares for COP30, it must centre on the most effective climate solutions: securing Indigenous land rights and enabling us to protect our own territories. This convening will harness the power of the world’s largest rainforests, bringing together governments and our organisations to advance land rights and secure direct funding to defend our lands from growing threats,” said Joseph Itongwa, Indigenous leader from the Democratic Republic of Congo and member of REPALEAC, and Co-chair of the GATC.

Hosted jointly by the Global Alliance for Territorial Communities and its member organisations, along with the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), the Congress builds on major international milestones, from COP26 in Glasgow and COP15 in Montreal to COP29 in Baku, where Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities gained unprecedented visibility.

The focus, according to the organisers, is now on translating pledges into concrete policies, direct financing mechanisms, and legal protections.

Global forest ecosystems are said to be at a critical tipping point. At a time when deforestation is accelerating and biodiversity is collapsing, evidence shows that deforestation rates are significantly lower in territories managed by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.

“Recent geo-political setbacks, including the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and suspension of international climate finance, have only intensified the urgency to amplify the leadership of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in climate and biodiversity action,” submitted the promoters, adding that Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities play a vital role in slowing deforestation and protecting forests.

Nigeria reaffirms commitment to global peace, security at UN

Michael Simire
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Nigeria reaffirms commitment to global peace, security at UN

The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to the United Nations (UN) and the global community in promoting peace and security.

Mohammed Badaru
Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru

A statement from the Ministry of Defence on Thursday, May 15, said that Badaru gave the commitment during the second day of the Plenary High-Level Pledging Session of the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial 2025 in Berlin, Germany.

He highlighted Nigeria’s active participation in international peacekeeping efforts, with the country’s rotation of the Base Protection Force deployed with the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei.

Badaru also underscored the nation’s role in the Formed Police Unit at the United Nations Transition Mission in Somalia.

The minister emphasised Nigeria’s leadership role in sub-regional peace initiatives under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU).

He cited Nigeria’s significant contributions to peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia, and more recently engagements in The Gambia and Guinea Bissau.

Badaru announced Nigeria’s renewed pledges to the Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System, adding five additional commitments aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s readiness to support global peacekeeping efforts.

He further reiterated Nigeria’s dedication to fostering stability and security, both regionally and globally.

By Sumaila Ogbaje

Morocco on the frontlines of climate extremes, experts warn

Michael Simire
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Morocco on the frontlines of climate extremes, experts warn

Morocco has emerged as one of North Africa’s most climate-vulnerable countries, according to the World Meteorological Organisation’s 2024 “State of the Climate in Africa” report. 

Drought
Morocco has experienced seven consecutive years of drought and destructive floods

The kingdom faces escalating threats, including prolonged droughts, rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and flash floods that have caused heavy human and material losses.

Environmental expert, Mostapha Aissat, described recent climate events in Morocco as “unprecedented in the country’s history,” citing seven consecutive years of drought and destructive floods across the south and southeast, he told Hespress EN.

He also recalled the 2022 wildfires that devoured over 20,000 hectares of forest, severely impacting biodiversity and agriculture.

Aissat warned that two global indicators suggest worsening conditions: global warming and the continued failure of major polluting nations to halve CO₂ emissions by 2030, as outlined in the Paris Agreement. 

He also noted the rising risk of natural disasters beyond climate change, such as earthquakes,  referencing Morocco’s 2023 Al Haouz quake.

He praised Morocco’s strategic move to create regional stockpile platforms as a “preventive and effective” response to recurring disasters. “Recovery from one catastrophe often begins under the shadow of the next,” he said.

Climate expert, Ali Cherroud, added that Morocco’s geography, from mountains to coasts to deserts, makes it uniquely exposed to a wide spectrum of seasonal and non-seasonal disasters. The country’s position at the intersection of cold, humid northern currents and hot, dry southern flows intensifies its susceptibility to extremes.

Cherroud welcomed the newly announced National Natural Disaster Centre in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region, calling it a “proactive shift” in disaster management and urging its replication across Morocco.

 He emphasised the need for a national roadmap based on early warning, rapid response, and risk forecasting to shield lives and assets.

With converging international assessments and on-the-ground observations, experts say climate preparedness is no longer optional – it is Morocco’s new strategic imperative.

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