Nigeria’s Federal Government has called upon environmental stakeholders to devise innovative project ideas aimed at securing international climate funds, ultimately benefiting its citizens.
The Permanent Secretary (PS) of the country’s Federal Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Kambari, made the call on Thursday, February 5, 2026, during a stakeholders’ consultative workshop on the development of concept notes to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) held in Abuja.
Represented by Mrs. Victoria Gwang Pwol, a director at the ministry’s Department of Climate Change (DCC), he hinted that the government has advanced the country’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) significantly over the past few years.
According to him, with crucial support from GCF and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the government, through extensive technical work, has completed a climate risk assessment across all geopolitical and agro-ecological zones, developed an economic appraisal, an adaptation finance strategy, and a robust monitoring and evaluation framework.
“These foundational elements now guide us in identifying priority adaptation needs and investment opportunities,” he stated.
The PS disclosed that, as a nation, Nigeria stands at a critical juncture where climate risks ranging from extreme weather events to environmental degradation continue to threaten its socio-economic stability, food systems, public health, infrastructure, and national development aspirations.
Consequently, the workshop’s strategic goals, he underscored, are to ensure that suggested interventions are in line with national priorities and the GCF’s investment criteria, refine project ideas into solid, evidence-based concept notes, and harmonise perspectives across important Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Additionally, it puts Nigeria in a competitive position to get the resources needed to improve resilience across vulnerable sectors.
“The true measure of our commitment lies in our ability to translate these frameworks into bankable, transformative, and implementable projects capable of attracting global climate finance and delivering tangible benefits to the Nigerian people. This is why we are gathered here today,” Kambari said.
Dr. Iniobong Abiola-Awe, director and head of the DCC, views the workshop as a crucial step in Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen climate resilience, advance sustainable development, and mobilise climate finance to protect communities, ecosystems, and the economy from the effects of climate change.
Dr. Abiola-Awe, who was represented by Mr. Jonah Barde, deputy director, Vulnerability and Adaptation Division, revealed that Nigeria is almost at the end of the GCF-supported NAP formulation process with UNEP as the delivery partner.
She noted that the frameworks of the NAP process have already been developed to guide national decision-making and investment priorities. Most importantly, the interim NAP document has been validated.
Therefore, the focus of today’s engagement, she went on to explain, is to build on these achievements by collaboratively developing bankable, climate-resilient concept notes that align with national priorities and meet the GCF’s investment requirements.
“This cannot be achieved without your expertise, insights, and commitment,” the DCC boss stated, encouraging everyone to engage actively, share their perspectives openly, and collaborate closely as the nation moves toward developing robust concept notes capable of securing GCF support for a climate-resilient Nigeria.
She appreciated the GCF and UNEP for their continued support and the participants for their presence and continued dedication to Nigeria’s climate resilience agenda.
By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja