Vice-President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Brazil to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 30th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice-President, made this known in a statement on in Abuja on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
The conference tagged COP30 is scheduled to hold from Nov. 6 to 7 in the city of Belém, capital of the state of Pará, in the Brazilian Amazon.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima
It will be convened by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in collaboration with other partners.
Nkwocha said VP Shettima is billed to join other world leaders, development partners and business executives at the event.
According to him, the theme of the conference is “Climate Action and Implementation,” with a strong focus on adaptation, forests, biodiversity, and climate justice.
He explained that on the first day of engagements in Belem, Shettima will attend the general plenary of leaders where he is expected to present Nigeria’s climate action address.
Nkwocha added that Shettima would take part in the inauguration of the Tropical Forest Forever Fund, and participate in a roundtable chaired by President Lula on Climate and Nature.
According to him, similarly, Vice-President Shettima will attend an Amazonian Cocktail for Heads of Delegation, hosted by the President of Brazil.
On the second day of the summit, Nkwocha said VP Shettima will participate in two roundtables chaired by President Lula on energy transition.
“And the review of the Paris Agreement, with a focus on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Financing.”
On the sidelines of the event, the spokesperson said Shettima will hold bilateral meetings on establishing and managing Nigeria’s participation in the carbon markets.
This, according to him, is with a view to enable Nigeria to unlock between $2.5 billion and $3 billion annually in carbon finance over the next decade to help meet climate goals.
Nkwocha disclosed that, at the conclusion of his COP 30 engagements, Shettima will proceed to the city of Brasilia for a reciprocal visit to his Brazilian counterpart, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin.
He recalled that Alckmin had in June this year paid a historic three-day visit to Nigeria.
He said in the city of Brasilia, the Vice President, accompanied by top Nigerian government officials, will engage with his Brazilian counterpart to further deepen Nigeria’s South-South diplomatic ties.
According to him, the Vice-President is expected back in Nigeria at the end of his engagements in Brazil.
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, disclosed that it would present pioneering climate solutions at the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil.
The state will prominently showcase the 80 Million Clean Cookstoves (CCS) Initiative and the Four Billion Tree Planting Project, the world’s largest UNFCCC Article 6.4-approved reforestation programme.
Mrs. Titi Oshodi, Special Adviser to the Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, disclosed the plans in a statement issued in Lagos.
Titi Oshodi, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy
She said Lagos’ participation at the Climate Innovation Zone, hosted by Climate Action, would position the state as a leader in climate investment and innovation.
“This collaboration places Lagos among a select group of African subnational governments demonstrating actionable climate leadership and investment-ready solutions,” Oshodi said.
The 80 Million Clean Cookstoves Initiative, developed by GreenPlinth Africa and endorsed by the Office of the Vice President and National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), is a flagship project.
In partnership with Oando Clean Energy, the initiative will deploy 80 million metered, biomass-powered cookstoves to households across Nigeria, significantly reducing over 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon emissions.
The programme is also expected to create thousands of green jobs, contributing to economic growth while supporting Nigeria’s green energy transition.
“Lagos is championing Africa’s climate ambition, where innovative solutions meet practical implementation,” Oshodi said, emphasising the city’s role as a continental climate pioneer.
She added: “Our participation at COP30 demonstrates how subnational leadership can mobilise global climate finance, scale clean energy access, and deliver a just, inclusive transition for millions of citizens.”
Oshodi highlighted that the initiative reflects the visionary leadership of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whose administration prioritises climate action, resilience, and sustainable urban development.
“Through COP30, Lagos aims to spotlight its integrated climate finance framework and showcase flagship initiatives across clean energy, transport decarbonisation, agriculture, and circular economy innovation,” she said.
Among the state’s major engagements, Lagos will host a high-level private roundtable, titled “From Lagos to the World – Financing Urban Climate Solutions for a Just and Inclusive Transition”, on Nov. 6.
The session, headlined by the state governor, will bring together development finance institutions, global investors, and international policymakers to explore innovative models for city-led climate financing.
Presentations will include LAMATA on low-carbon transport, LASPA on electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems on nature-based solutions and agroforestry.
Private sector innovators, such as Oando Clean Energy and GreenPlinth Africa, will also highlight their clean energy projects, including the global carbon finance potential of the 80 Million Clean Cookstoves Initiative.
Lagos will participate in the Africa Innovation Forum Main Stage Panel on November 7, sharing its model for climate financing and local-global collaboration with leading experts and partners.
The state’s involvement in the Climate Implementation Summit on Nov. 8 will further spotlight the 80 Million CCS Initiative, the first biomass clean cooking programme integrating on-chain Digital MRV technology.
“This inclusion demonstrates Nigeria’s pioneering role in leveraging climate technology to deliver measurable emission reductions alongside social and economic co-benefits,” Oshodi said.
A private Dealroom Session on Nov. 8, titled “Bridging Ambition and Capital: Financing Bankable African Climate Solutions”, will bring together DFIs, private investors, and carbon financiers.
The session aims to unlock capital for high-impact projects, including the 80 Million CCS Initiative and Lagos’ broader climate-smart urban portfolio.
“Through these engagements, Lagos will cement its position as a continental leader in climate innovation, advancing projects that contribute directly to global emission reduction targets,” she added.
Oshodi concluded that the state’s participation reflects a commitment to fostering inclusive growth, resilience, and sustainable development while demonstrating Africa’s potential in climate leadership.
Four new cities have been chosen to receive support from the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF) to turn their ambitious climate plans into tangible, finance-ready infrastructure projects.
Implemented jointly by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and C40 since 2015, the CFF is an award-winning project preparation facility helping cities develop inclusive urban infrastructure projects and link them to climate finance. The first group of new partner cities for CFF’s fourth phase was announced at the 2025 C40 World Mayors Summit as:
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Resilient urban watersheds in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Belo Horizonte is launching a major watershed climate adaptation project in one of its most vulnerable areas, the Capão and Piratininga basins, to build resilience against extreme weather. The initiative will strategically implement nature-based solutions such as green corridors, rain gardens and water harvesting systems in public buildings to manage stormwater and heat naturally throughout the neighbourhoods.
These measures aim to cut flooding impacts by 40%, mitigate urban heat risks, significantly improve water quality and deliver improvements to biodiversity, public health and social cohesion.
Nature-based urban regeneration in São Paulo, Brazil
São Paulo will launch the Jardim Orion II urban regeneration project along the banks of the strategically vital Billings Reservoir. This initiative directly tackles severe social challenges and water insecurity within a high-risk flood zone. For the first time, the project will incorporate nature-based solutions, using green spaces and natural water systems, into São Paulo’s long-standing Watershed Protection Programme. This significant shift away from traditional concrete infrastructure will strengthen the city’s climate resilience, boost public health and create new green jobs.
Solar-powered e-buses in Rabat, Morocco
Rabat will roll out 30 new e-buses along a new north-south express line connecting Salé, Rabat, and Témara, and install rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) at up to three bus depots. This transformative project will combine electric mobility and renewable energy within a single framework, setting a precedent for integrated infrastructure delivery across Morocco. It also offers the chance to test innovative governance and contractual models for transit operators, providing valuable lessons for other urban contexts in Morocco and the wider MENA region.
Clean ferries in Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena is creating a reliable, low-emission passenger ferry network to connect its industrial, residential, commercial, and tourism centres with communities, including the island of Tierra Bomba. This project replaces old diesel-powered boats with 10 new, clean ferries and 10 new or improved docks, complete with charging stations.
Fully integrated with the existing Transcaribe bus system, this network will dramatically cut commute times, improve travel safety, and significantly expand fair access to jobs, healthcare and education for underserved island and coastal residents. As the first project of its kind in Colombia, it offers a replicable model for other cities located on coasts and rivers.
With the support of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), CFF will now collaborate with these cities to prepare and implement these projects to improve the lives of residents with large-scale, measurable impact.
Launched in 2015 at COP21 in Paris by Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes, CFF has become a leading project preparation facility partnering with cities in the Global South to enable transformative climate action. By putting cities’ best interests first, CFF is helping cities prepare and implement urban infrastructure projects that address the impacts and injustices of climate breakdown and that make a real difference to people’s lives.
From Mumbai to Medellín, Durban to Dakar, CFF has partnered with more than 30 cities across the Global South, supporting 38 transformative projects in key climate action areas: nature-based solutions, renewable energy and buildings, sustainable mobility and waste management. By 2030, CFF will have leveraged over €1 billion in capital investment.
Through its support for inclusive and resilient climate infrastructure, CFF is a vital mechanism for helping cities and Mayors unlock the investment needed to meet their climate goals, contributing to the achievement of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
Mayor of Belo Horizonte, Álvaro Damião, said: “The C40 Cities Finance Facility will provide vital support to our work to tackle flooding and extreme heat in Belo Horizonte
“Through green and blue infrastructure interventions in the Capao and Piratininga basins, the city will protect vulnerable residents and strengthen resilience to climate change.”
Mayor of Cartagena, Dumek Turbay, said:“Today, Cartagena takes a historic step forward. With this new public maritime transport system, we will connect our islands and coastal communities with the industrial, commercial, and tourist heart of the city,
“For the first time in Colombia, our residents will have an aquatic service designed for them – one that will make it easier to reach jobs, healthcare, and education.
“We dreamed it together, we heard it from our communities, and today we make it a reality: a sustainable transport system that unites, connects, and improves the lives of all Cartageneros.
“With the support of the C40 Cities Finance Facility, we continue building a greener, fairer, and more human Cartagena where every journey across the water is also a step toward the future we all deserve.”
Mayor of Rabat, Fatiha el Moudni, said: “This pivotal project is a key step in implementing our strategic vision for sustainable urban mobility. It is not merely about renewing our bus fleet, but rather a foundational investment designed to enhance the quality of life for all citizens across Greater Rabat.”
“The new fleet of 30 electric buses will represent a significant upgrade to the transportation services available to our residents. It will provide a more reliable, quieter, and cleaner service, while also streamlining travel within the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra conurbation. This initiative directly addresses the need for high-quality public services to support our growing population,” stated Fatiha El Moudni, the Mayor of Rabat.
“By combining electric mobility with on-site solar photovoltaic energy generation at our depots, we are building a pioneering model in Morocco for truly integrated, zero-emission infrastructure.”
Co-Director of the C40 Cities Finance Facility, Ingrid Simon, said: “The C40 Cities Finance Facility is delighted to announce its four new partner cities – Belo Horizonte, Cartagena, São Paulo and Rabat – whose fantastic projects will build communities’ resilience to extreme heat and flooding, connect people to employment and services, and create cleaner, healthier environments.
“Thanks to the support of the German and British governments, we’re proud to continue to assist cities in developing real projects that make a real difference to people’s lives.”
A new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report warns that global climate pledges are still far off track to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, leaving the world on course for a catastrophic 2.3–2.5°C of warming. Despite updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), climate progress has stalled, and the world remains dangerously close to losing the 1.5°C goal altogether.
According to climate change campaign group, 350.org, world leaders arriving in Belém at the end of this week for the Leaders’ Summit ahead of COP30 must scale up ambition and act with urgency, saying: “There’s no time to lose.”
Greenhouse gas increases are leading to a faster rate of global warming. Photo credit: earthtimes.org
Savio Carvalho, Head of Regions at350.org: “This report confirms what millions already feel in their daily lives: governments are still failing to deliver on their promises. The window to keep 1.5°C within reach is closing fast, but it is not yet gone. All eyes are now on Belém. COP30 must be a turning point, where leaders stop making excuses, phase out fossil fuels, and scale up renewable energy in a way that is fast, fair, and equitable.
“The science is clear: expanding fossil fuels is incompatible with a livable future. COP30 needs to deliver a concrete plan to rapidly phase out coal, oil, and gas, and support countries in scaling up renewable energy that is affordable and accessible for all. The world needs courage and cooperation, not delay and denial.”
The UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2025 reveals that even with all current pledges implemented, the world remains on track for up to 2.5°C of heating, far beyond the limits scientists say are safe. Meanwhile, emissions are still rising, and high-emitting countries are failing to meet their 2030 targets.
Ilan Zugman, Latin America Managing Director, 350.org: “Civil society and Indigenous leadership are the moral compass of these negotiations. In the Amazon and beyond, Indigenous peoples and traditional communities are protecting the very ecosystems that keep our planet alive. Their leadership must be at the heart of decision-making in Belém. We will hold governments accountable and demand that words finally turn into real climate action.
“This is the moment for civil society to stand firm as leaders prepare to gather in Belém – we must remind them that our future is not negotiable. The world needs them, and us, to act now.”
Jacynta Fa’amau, 350.org Pacific Campaigner: “This should ring alarm bells at the highest level. Our islands are already facing devastating impacts, we cannot accept being on course for 2.5°C as the “new normal”. We refuse to give up on the 1.5°C target, and even with this prediction of a temporary overshoot, we need to do everything we can as a global community to keep this as limited as possible.
“These are more than numbers on a graph for us because every fraction of a degree counts for the survival of the Pacific. COP30 needs to urgently course-correct and implement a phase-out of fossil fuels and a transition to renewable energy. We can only adapt to so much. We have to draw the line somewhere and for us, that is at 1.5°C.”
A UN Environment Programme (UNEP) assessment of available new climate pledges under the Paris Agreement finds that the predicted global temperature rise over the course of this century has only slightly fallen, leaving the world heading for a serious escalation of climate risks and damages.
UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2025: Off Target finds that global warming projections over this century, based on full implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), are now 2.3-2.5°C, compared to 2.6-2.8°C in last year’s report. Implementing only current policies would lead to up to 2.8°C of warming, compared to 3.1°C last year.
However, methodological updates account for 0.1°C of the improvement, and the upcoming withdrawal of the US from the Paris Agreement will cancel another 0.1°C, meaning that the new NDCs themselves have barely moved the needle. Nations remain far from meeting the Paris Agreement goal to limit warming to well-below 2°C, while pursuing efforts to stay below 1.5°C.
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres
The report finds that the multi-decadal average of global temperature rise will exceed 1.5°C, at least temporarily. This will be difficult to reverse – requiring faster and bigger additional reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to minimise overshoot, reduce damages to lives and economies, and avoid over-reliance on uncertain carbon dioxide removal methods.
“Scientists tell us that a temporary overshoot above 1.5 degrees is now inevitable – starting, at the latest, in the early 2030s. And the path to a livable future gets steeper by the day,” said UN Secretary-General, António Guterres in his message on the report. “But this is no reason to surrender. It’s a reason to step up and speed up. 1.5 degrees by the end of the century remains our North Star. And the science is clear: this goal is still within reach. But only if we meaningfully increase our ambition.”
“Nations have had three attempts to deliver promises made under the Paris Agreement, and each time they have landed off target,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “While national climate plans have delivered some progress, it is nowhere near fast enough, which is why we still need unprecedented emissions cuts in an increasingly tight window, with an increasingly challenging geopolitical backdrop.”
“But it is still possible – just. Proven solutions already exist. From the rapid growth in cheap renewable energy to tackling methane emissions, we know what needs to be done. Now is the time for countries to go all in and invest in their future with ambitious climate action – action that delivers faster economic growth, better human health, more jobs, energy security and resilience.”
Off target
The report finds that only 60 Parties to the Paris Agreement, covering 63 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, had submitted or announced new NDCs containing mitigation targets for 2035 by 30 September 2025. In addition to the lack of progress in pledges, a huge implementation gap remains, with countries not on track to meet their 2030 NDCs, let alone new 2035 targets.
Aligning with the Paris Agreement requires rapid and unprecedented cuts to greenhouse gas emissions above the pledges – a task made harder by emissions growing 2.3 per cent year-on-year to 57.7 gigatons of CO2 equivalent in 2024. Emissions in 2030 would have to fall 25 per cent from 2019 levels for 2°C pathways, and 40 per cent for 1.5°C pathways – with only five years left to achieve this goal.
Full implementation of all NDCs would reduce expected global emissions in 2035 by about 15 per cent compared with 2019 levels – although the US withdrawal will change these figures. These reductions are far below the 35 per cent and 55 per cent needed in 2035 to align with 2°C and 1.5°C pathways, respectively.
Pursuing 1.5°C remains critical
The size of the cuts required, and the short time left to deliver them, means that the multi-decadal average of global temperature will now exceed 1.5°C, very likely within the next decade. Stringent near-term cuts to emissions could delay the onset of overshoot, but not avoid it entirely. The big task ahead is to strive to make this overshoot temporary and minimal, through rapid emissions cuts that keep returning to 1.5°C by 2100 in the realms of possibility.
Every fraction of a degree avoided reduces an escalation of the damages, losses and health impacts that are harming all nations – while hitting the poorest and most vulnerable the hardest – and reduces the risks of climate tipping points and other irreversible impacts. Minimising overshoot would also reduce reliance on uncertain, risky and costly carbon dioxide removal methods – which would need to permanently remove and store about five years of current global annual CO2 emissions to reverse each 0.1°C of overshoot
The report looks at a “rapid mitigation action from 2025” scenario, which is designed to limit overshoot to about 0.3°C, with a 66 per cent chance, and return to 1.5°C by 2100. Under this scenario, 2030 emissions would have to fall by 26 per cent and 2035 emissions by 46 per cent compared with 2019 levels.
Tools there for faster action, but political climate challenging
Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement ten years ago, temperature predictions have fallen from 3-3.5°C. The required low-carbon technologies to deliver big emission cuts are available. Wind and solar energy development is booming, lowering deployment costs. This means the international community can accelerate climate action, should they choose to do so. However, delivering faster cuts would require navigating a challenging geopolitical environment, a massive increase in support to developing countries, and redesigning the international financial architecture.
G20 action and leadership will be pivotal as G20 members – excluding the African Union – account for 77 per cent of global emissions. Seven G20 members have submitted new NDCs with targets for 2035, while three members have announced such targets. However, these pledges are not ambitious enough, G20 members are collectively not on track to achieve even their 2030 NDC targets, and G20 emissions rose by 0.7 per cent in 2024 – all pointing to the need for a massive ramp up in action by the biggest emitters.
TotalEnergies and Data4 (the European champion in the data centre industry) have signed an agreement to supply renewable electricity with a stable consumption profile (Clean Firm Power) to Data4’s sites in Spain.
This contract will begin in January 2026 for 10 years and will represent a total volume of 610 GWh. TotalEnergies will supply Data4’s facilities with renewable electricity generated by Spanish wind and solar farms with a capacity equivalent to 30 MW, which are about to start production.
Thanks to this contract, TotalEnergies further strengthens its position as a preferred partner for major industrial players worldwide, supporting the decarbonization of their energy consumption.
The signing of the agreement by TotalEnergies and Data4
As European leader in the data centre industry, Data4 is now established in six countries, and announced its plan to invest nearly €2 billion euros by 2030 to develop its campuses in Spain. This agreement with TotalEnergies reaffirms Data4’s engagement to fully integrate renewable energy across all its locations.
“We are delighted with this agreement with Data4, which illustrates our ability to offer competitive and tailored electricity supply solutions to large industrial groups,” said Sophie Chevalier, Senior Vice President Flexible Power & Integration at TotalEnergies. “Our ‘Clean Firm Power’ solutions are specifically designed to meet our clients’ requirements in terms of cost, consumption profile, and environmental commitment. These solutions are based on our integrated power portfolio, combining both renewable and flexible assets, and contribute to achieving our target of 12% profitability in the power sector.”
“This agreement reaffirms Data4’s commitment to renewable energy which is more crucial than ever as the race for AI accelerates and the energy capacity required for all data centers in Spain is expected to more than triple by 2030. By partnering with TotalEnergies, we provide our customers a stable and competitive long-term supply of carbon-free electricity, in infrastructures designed to be models of sustainability and innovation” says François Sterin, Chief Operation Officer at Data4. “In this context, securing this type of contract for Data4 is strategic to meet the growing demand and position Madrid as one of Europe’s most attractive digital hubs.”
The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) has welcomed the decision of 11 Judges of the Constitutional Court of South Africa (SA), who, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, dismissed with costs, an application for leave to appeal filed in November 2024, by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; the Director-General, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; the Executive Council: Genetically Modified Organisms Act (EC: GMO Act); and the Appeal Board, Genetically Modified Organisms.
According to the Constitutional Court, the application for leave to appeal was dismissed with costs because it bears no reasonable prospects of success. Thus, the original judgment of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), delivered on October 22, 2024, in ACB’s case against Monsanto/Bayer and the State, when the SCA set aside the commercial approval of genetically modified (GM) drought-tolerant maize, MON 87460, stands.
GMOs
This historic decision of the SCA was challenged by the Minister of Agriculture et al. in November 2024, in the form of an application for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court, seeking to overturn a first-ever judicial ruling regarding GMO decision-making in South Africa, handed down by the full bench of five judges of the SCA. The ACB filed papers on November 26, 2024, opposing the leave to appeal.
The SCA’s decision overturned multiple layers of approvals, including:
The 2015 approval by the EC: GMO Act.
The 2016 dismissal of ACB’s appeal by the Appeal Board.
The Minister of Agriculture’s 2016 confirmation of the dismissal of the appeal and the EC’s approval.
A core of the SCA’s judgment was a finding that the EC: GMO Act failed to follow the correct legal procedure when approving the commercial release of the GM drought-tolerant maize. Further, the SCA found that the EC did not meet a mandatory statutory requirement to assess whether the applicant (previously Monsanto, now owned by Bayer) needed to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA).
The SCA’s judgment also stands, which requires the application for the general release of MON87460 to be sent back to the EC for proper reconsideration, in accordance with the requirements of South African law.
The findings and decisions of both the SCA and the Constitutional Court – the highest court in the country – are precedent-setting in SA concerning GMO decision-making processes and will bind the state regarding future decision-making concerning the environmental release of GMOs. It will put an end to the rubber-stamping of GMO approvals and ensure compliance with SA’s laws regarding EIAs before the release of GMOs into the environment.
The ACB expressed relief that this decade-long saga has finally been put to rest and regards both the SCA and Constitutional Court’s decisions as major steps forward in protecting the country’s agricultural future and biodiversity, and respect for the rule of law.
The ACB says it is grateful to Legal Aid South Africa (LASA), which represented ACB, working on the matter over these long years.
“We were represented by K Pillay SC and N Stein and are deeply grateful to the proficient and dedicated LASA team. We are also indebted to Professor Jack Heineman, Dr Angelika Hilbeck, and Dr Eva Sirinathsinji for their expert opinions and support,” stated the group.
The ACB is a research and advocacy organisation working towards food sovereignty and agroecology in Africa, with a focus on biosafety, seed systems and agricultural biodiversity.
The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum recognised eight women entrepreneurs and leaders at its annual awards gala on Friday, October 31, 2025, celebrating achievements in technology, agriculture, energy and social impact across the continent.
The 2025 AWIEF Awards honoured winners from Kenya, South Africa, Morocco, Angola and Nigeria at a ceremony concluding the two-day AWIEF2025 Conference, which drew more than 500 delegates from over 50 countries.
Norah Kimathi of Zerobionic in Kenya won the Young Entrepreneur Award, while Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, CEO of Falcon Corporation in Nigeria, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
L-R: Soraya da Piedade, Winner of Creative Industry Award; Dr Vera Kamtukule, Former Minister of Tourism, Malawi; Photo taken at the 2025 AWIEF Awards on October 31, 2025, at CTICC, Cape Town
Other winners included Mampho Sotshongaye of Golden Rewards 1981 in South Africa for empowerment, Nidal Tafah of MIRRIAH in Morocco for energy entrepreneurship, and Farana Boodhram of MiDesk Global in South Africa for social entrepreneurship.
Soraya da Piedade of Angola won the Creative Industry Award for her work as a designer and entrepreneur.
“This award reminds me that when we create from a place of passion and purpose, we not only build brands but also inspire others to dream bigger,” da Piedade said.
Linda Davis, founder of Giraffe Bioenergy in Kenya, won the Agri Entrepreneur Award sponsored by OCP Africa.
Maryanne Gichanga of AgriTech Analytics in Kenya received the Tech Entrepreneur Award.
“AWIEF has given women like me a powerful space to share our work, connect with others, and be recognized for driving change in our communities,” Davis said.
“This win belongs to every woman farmer and entrepreneur working to build a sustainable Africa.”
The awards, established in 2016, aim to recognise women-led businesses and inspire future innovators across Africa.
Finalists represented countries including Botswana, Uganda, Somalia and Zimbabwe.
“While it may be easier to be polite, it is more important to face facts so that you can make progress.” – Bill Gates at the National Economic Council meeting at Abuja, 2018.
A high-confidence junior colleague shared with this writer a letter written to the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) by a young planner, which was posted on WhatsApp on October 29th, 2025. For personal reasons, the writer’s identity is being kept anonymous.
The letter was titled: “A cry for order: A Young Planner’s Displeasure with the Ongoing 2025 NITP Conference.” The junior colleague who sent the letter to me reacted with a terse statement: “This is a serious call to order if you ask me.” And my reaction to his statement went thus:
he 56th International Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) held from October 27 to 30, 2025, at the NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja
“I have read the letter. It is a serious indictment against the NITP as a “professional body” by a young planner. I wrote to thank the author of the letter for his courage in putting his observations and manifest foibles of the NITP in writing [for the record]. All the shortcomings he identified are genuine and thought-provoking. I pray that the NEC of the NITP deliberates on the issues raised by the young planner. Truly, there is no success without a successor.
“The NITP needs to shape up. It is not as visible and vocal as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) or the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in the scheme of things in Nigeria, despite the fact of its (NITP’s) enormous importance to national development.”
I took a step further to share the same letter with a couple of other town planner colleagues and received one dispassionate comment, which is worthy and appropriate to share: “Happy New Month to you, sir. I hope you are doing great. Best regards to your family. Thank you for sharing the open letter to the NITP. The observations of this young planner are valid and have been there over the years. Nothing has changed. The NITP and the practice of the profession in Nigeria remain (worrisome). Very unfortunate.”
A former NITP President succinctly wrote: “Putting NITP back on track is for all members.”
As I was about to conclude this piece, another former president of the Institute, who is a reputable town planning practitioner in the private sector, sent me a message. He shared his experience with nostalgia as follows: “Good evening, sir. I read the letter since Thursday morning. It was sent to me by a Past National Secretary. The students are right. They knew how they were treated when I was privileged to be the National President. What they experienced this year [2025] was far below expectations. I’m sure the Executive must be realizing their folly in going against the NITP Constitution and Conventions.”
Readers may want to ask what the young planner’s lamentation was about the Institute, his grievances against the professional body, and its repeated shortcomings. For brevity, permit me to paraphrase what was running through the mind of the Young Turk Town Planner (YTTP):
1. Lamentation: He felt a deep sense of displeasure and disappointment about the NITP’s poor and inefficient system of registration and organization at the just-concluded 2025 National Conference. It is ironic that manual registration still prevails under a lead organization and a proponent “for smart cities and digital futures.” What a paradox!
2. Grievances: The holding capacity of the conference hall was grossly inadequate for the expected number of the confab’s attendees, while other complementary facilities at the venue were poorly maintained. (ii) There was no commensurate value for the exorbitant registration fees paid by the gamut of conference participants. The quality of services provided by the conference organizers was abysmal.
3. Observation: The inattentive/non-inclusion of young planners in the participation of panel sessions and key discussions. He quipped: How can the NITP that often promotes ‘future sustainability’ and inclusive planning ignore the very group that represents the future of the profession? Another paradox!
The NITP is not a perfect organisation. I can vouch for the excellent quality of leadership provided by a selected few among past presidents of the Institute and the impact they made during their tenure. However, what is worrisome about the Institute is the persistent way its shortcomings or failings are exhibited at every annual conference to the point of incorrigibility.
There are no kind words or compliments from some concerned senior members of the NITP on the way and manner the annual national conferences were usually conducted. This letter of complaint, written by a young planner, corroborated such similar feelings. The NITP could do better.
Frankly, the National Planning Committee is usually responsible for the shambolic arrangements at each of the NITP annual conferences.
The precedent to any action is preparation. Mission and vision are easily accomplished only when you prepare for them. The Conference Planning Committee members seldom pay attention to the minute details that are meant to facilitate a seamless conference. They underrate the enormous responsibility thrust on them. More often, they fail to plan properly and plan to fail, as in the instant situation under reference.
Although it is hard to accept the fact, their proclivity to cut corners for pecuniary gains seems normal, but not an action that should be roundly condemned. To dip their hands into the cookie jar(finances) of the Institute is never considered an anathema, but a normal practice(?). All these anomalies persist because there is a weak accountability system to detect fraudulent conduct, and when one is detected, there is no punishment meted out to the rogue offender(s) as deterrence. Unless the members of the Conference Planning Committee are under close watch and constant scrutiny during the conference period, corrupt practices will be difficult to discover and curtail.
Therefore, we also suggest that whoever is the incumbent president should be actively involved in the preparation of the National Conference as the overall monitor or overseer. To leave such an important task unsupervised at the executive level is a serious gaffe. The president must not show a passing interest or be lethargic. If the conference is well-organized, the president claims the glory. If it falls below expectations, he/she will be blamed for the poor organization and solely bear the brunt of the ignominy associated with such a failure.
The NITP should create room for mentoring young planners. It is no gainsaying that the Institute has a group of cerebral and competent planners who should serve as mentors to the budding planners. Experience, as they say, is the best teacher. The crop of brilliant urban planning professors or practitioners in private practice will do a great service to the sustainability of the profession if they constantly share their wealth of experience with the generation of young planners, who also have the advantage of IT and AI skills that the senior planners could learn from.
There is a palpable fear that the number of new student entrants into the Town Planning profession is not encouraging, and if care is not taken, the situation will continue to go south. That is all the more reason the NITP should devise all means to reverse the trend. The profession should be incentivized to attract new intakes.
Finally, we should be reminded that failure of good performance by the Institute is not necessarily the result of what the NITP did wrong, but the cumulative effects of things the Institute never did properly to excel.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) says Nigeria remains on track to grow crude oil production to two million barrels per day (bpd) by 2027 and three million bpd by 2030.
Mr. Udy Ntia, Executive Vice President, Upstream, NNPC Ltd., made this known on Monday, November 2, 2025, at the ongoing 2025 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC).
ADIPEC, the world’s largest energy exhibition and conference, is being hosted by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).
The Executive Vice President, Upstream, NNPC Ltd., Mr. Udy Ntia, during his presentation “Beyond the Barrel: the Future of Upstream Strategy” at the ongoing 2025 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in UAE
The 41st edition, with the theme “Energy. Intelligence. Impact,” holding from Nov. 3 to Nov. 6, brings together international, regional and local stakeholders across the energy, technology and finance sectors.
Speaking during the ADIPEC 2025 session “Beyond the Barrel: The Future of Upstream Strategy,” Ntia said its collaborative upstream growth plan was anchored on technology, efficiency and decarbonisation.
“Nigeria’s upstream sector is evolving through a mix of collaboration, co-investments and smarter capital deployment, rather than competition.
“It is not just about producing more oil it is about producing better oil: more efficient, cleaner and more profitable,” he said.
“We have the capacity, and we are growing steadily while working together to reduce the strain of fossil fuels,”
Ntia outlined three key forces shaping the upstream landscape globally and in Nigeria energy transition pressures as industry fragmentation and technological inflection points.
He said that innovation, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies, would drive efficiency gains and unlock value from mature fields.
“We are seeing technology as an enabler to get more from the ground, improve efficiency, and guide capital decisions. The goal is smarter investment, not just more spending,” he added.
On energy transition and decarbonisation, Ntia said that NNPC Ltd. and its partners were committed to reducing emissions while maintaining responsible oil production.
He said that Africa contributed less than three per cent of global emissions, emphasising that “we can decarbonise and still produce responsibly.”
He cited ongoing initiatives such as monetisation and flare reduction, through commercial partnerships and regulatory compliance.
He also listed major gas pipeline projects, including the Nigeria, Morocco Gas Pipeline and links to demand centres in western and northern Nigeria; Refinery optimisation and development of hybrid partnerships for co-investment in upstream projects.
“Co-investment is the new round of financing. We are stepping in as co-investors to ensure projects are bankable and decisions are made quickly in a rapidly changing environment,” he said.
He emphasised a shift toward partnership-driven growth between National Oil Companies (NOCs) and International Oil Companies (IOCs), calling for collaboration over competition.
“IOCs are not grabbers; they are partners. We all share the same goal, which is profitability, sustainability and growth. The real question is how we can increase the size of the pie so that everyone wins,” he said.
Ntia reaffirmed that Nigeria’s upstream strategy balances energy security, profitability, and climate responsibility, ensuring the nation’s resources remain relevant in the global energy transition.
In a related development, the Federal Government of Nigeria has underscored the need to end energy poverty across Africa, calling for co-investment strategies to de-risk energy infrastructure and unlock shared prosperity.
The Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), Mr. Bashir Ojulari, made the call on Monday at the ongoing 2025 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC).
The Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), Mr Bashir Ojulari (2nd right) engaging with some energy leaders at the ongoing 2025 ADIPEC
Ojulari participated in a closed-door session of the Global Oil Club, a prestigious forum of leading energy companies and institutions.
In his remarks, the GCEO reaffirmed NNPC’s commitment to global partnerships, energy equity, and sustainable investment.
“Africa’s energy future must be built on collaboration, innovation, and inclusion. NNPC Ltd. stands ready to co-create solutions that will deliver real impact,” he said.
He reiterated the NNPC Limited commitment to ensuring global strategy to championing energy equity and global collaboration.
The NNPC Ltd. exhibition booth at ADIPEC 2025 continues to attract global attention, showcasing the company’s portfolio of transformative projects.
These include major gas initiatives, methane-reduction programmes, and the company’s expanding investments in clean energy and human-capital development.
NNPC’s participation at ADIPEC 2025 underscored its position as a corporate titan and energy anchor for Africa, demonstrating its commitment to delivering intelligent energy solutions with lasting impact.
The 41st edition of ADIPEC, with the theme “Energy. Intelligence. Impact,” aligns closely with NNPC’s transformation into a commercially driven, global energy company.
