Climate Action in Nigeria: Moving From Talk To Practical Action  

• BYD Motors Nig Ltd And GRACO Clamour For Just And Inclusive Transition

 By Armsfree Ajanaku

As the push for better climate governance intensifies, Nigeria has been proving its mettle as a prominent voice in global climate and sustainability conversations. Apart from active participation in the regular climate governance convenings across the world, Nigeria is shaping climate conversations in the domestic context. In the debates on key thematic issues, such as global warming, net zero and the just transition, Nigeria has sought to find the delicate balance between climate action and balancing its national interests as an oil producing country, which is heavily dependent on the export of crude oil for its foreign exchange earnings. In events like the Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, Nigeria is holding its own. There have also been developments such as Nigeria’s Launch of the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance Fund programme and the launch of the framework for carbon markets. A key next step focuses on how civic agencies and business entities can devolve these conversations to the grassroots through practical climate action.

One major institution making Nigeria’s voice heard in the global conversation on sustainability and climate governance in the context of the whole of government, whole of society approach, is the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC). Apart from robustly engaging the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) through the annual Conference of Parties (COP), the NCCC has also been active in galvanising private sector and civil society effort in the quest to address issues of climate change and the just transition. Currently led by its Director-General, Barrister Tenioye Majekodunmi, the Council has been playing the frontline role as the designated national authority responsible for coordinating submissions, tracking commitments, mobilizing climate finance and technology transfer. The NCCC has been quite productive in its objective of fostering collaboration with governments, private sector, civil society, youth groups, and academia to ensure climate action is inclusive and outcome-driven.

In bilateral meetings with key international partners, following her appointment in August 2025, Barrister Tenioye hit the ground running as she sought to unlock climate finance opportunities for Nigeria. At the last count, she interfaced with the Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary General on Climate Action, Ambassador Selwin Hart; the German Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), Dr. Heike Henn; the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA), and the UK Special Representative for Climate, Rachel Kyte. These engagements on the sidelines of international climate summits afforded the NCCC the opportunity to outline concrete steps Nigeria is taking to strengthen cooperation with key partners and to unlock new streams of climate finance. The NCCC has also signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Green Guarantee Group (GGG), a multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to scale up climate finance flows to Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs) by strengthening the use of guarantees. Other signatories for this initiative included Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, and the National Credit Guarantee Company (NCGC).

In a panel session at a BOGA event on “Africa’s Central Role in a Just & Equitable Energy Transition away from Oil & Gas”, the NCCC Director-General disclosed a number of initiatives by the government of Nigeria to support the energy transition, including the development and implementation of Africa’s first Energy Transition Plan, a Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy, and an environment that delivers stable policies and regulations to attract private sector investment in clean energy. Nigeria’s voice was also instrumental in the signing of several historic investment commitments valued at USD100 billion by eight Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and three Regional Financial Institutions, towards supporting green industrialization in Africa, with an emphasis on industrial clusters, critical minerals and green fuels, and agriculture.

After the December 2025 Belem, Brazil Conference of Parties (COP) 30 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the NCCC was quick to reaffirm Nigeria’s commitment to a global energy transition that is fair and equitable, fully prioritizing Africa’s growth and development needs. This would be gleaned in the strategic support offered to business entities and civic actors, which have shown commitment in terms of implementing far-reaching climate action. Civil society organisations taking the message to communities about the impending impacts of climate change on livelihoods and what to do about, have received a good deal of moral support from the NCCC. On the business side, entrepreneurs putting in resources to start climate smart ventures have received encouragement from the NCCC. This level of synergy at the local level has yielded result in the form of FCT, Abuja’s very first Electric Vehicle (EV) Recharge Hub.

The Hub, was launched through partnership between BYD Motors Nig Ltd, Haitong Ltd and the Grassroots Center for Rights & Civic Orientation (GRACO). It leverages key outcomes of the 2025 COP, while positioning itself as one of the points for implementing technical and awareness raising activities, which will boost climate smart businesses. The partners on the project, made up of green businesses and a frontline civil society organisation, GRACO anchor their collaboration on the need to address the awareness gaps and the concerns over how the concept of the just transition could play out for marginalised demographics. This demographic has for long been dependent on fossil fuel-based industries and processes. With the Hub becoming operational for EV Recharge, skills and capacity building, optimism is growing that it would be one of the exemplars of the just transition. For the Chairman and CEO of BYD Motors Nig Ltd, and CEO of Haitong, Chief Moses Ayom, the traction and progress made at the EV Recharge Hub exemplifies possibilities when good climate governance meet resilience of entrepreneurship and civic readiness.

His words: “As concerned and socially responsible organisations, committed to environmental sustainability, BYD Motors Nigeria Ltd Motors, Haitong and GRACO felt compelled to take practical action after the latest global climate discussions. Our practical action takes the form of the Climate Smart Electric Vehicle Recharge Hub. For us at BYD Motors Nigeria Ltd, Haitong and GRACO, practical action speaks louder than words. We are resolute about investing in the structures and infrastructure, which will transform mobility and empower our people,” he said. According to stakeholders, with the increasingly important role of Electric Vehicles in the transportation sector all over the world, Nigeria must not be left behind. They therefore commended the set-up of the Climate Smart EV Recharge Hub located at the BYD Motors Nigeria Ltd building in Kado district. The belief is clear that the Hub will serve as an important support system for government agencies, individuals, and corporate bodies with EVs in their fleets.

Chief Ayom noted that with technology, charging time was fast reducing, just as he described the EV recharge technology deployed at the hub as very practical. His words: “If you visit the Hub with your EV right now, in another 40 minutes, your electric car will be fully charged while you are having a cup of coffee. And you can drive around our beautiful city of Abuja without the problem of polluting it with fossil fuels.” For the organisations, which conceived the idea, skills and technology transfer are equally critical considerations. As such, BYD Motors Nigeria Ltd, Haitong and GRACO have moved to ensure the EV Recharge Hub is designed to provide job opportunities for young people in the areas of retail and maintenance of EVs. It has therefore been declared that the Hub will be an avenue for the training on EV maintenance skills to feed the automobile market.

Armsfree Ajanaku is Executive Director, Grassroots Center for Rights & Civic Orientation (GRACO).