President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday assured a global audience in the United Arab Emirates that Nigeria is ready to work with other nations to build a resilient, equitable, and sustainable world for all.
The President, in a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, declared that no single nation can walk the road to sustainability alone, stressing that global interconnectedness demands collective action, knowledge sharing, and mutual support.
“The fight against climate change is not merely an environmental necessity but a global economic opportunity to reshape the trajectory of our continent and the global energy landscape.
“As leaders, stakeholders and citizens of our planet, we stand at a critical juncture in human history. To succeed, we must innovate, collaborate and act decisively as one global community,” he said.
Reiterating his administration’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, Tinubu assured the audience that the Nigerian government had developed actionable programmes in line with global expectations, bearing in mind Nigeria’s economic and political expectations.
“My administration recognizes the importance of reducing carbon emissions and a just transition to clean and renewable energy, promoting environmental sustainability and economic growth.
“Our energy transition plans, like many nations, are aimed at diversifying energy sources and reducing dependency on fossil fuels, prioritizing the transition to cleaner energy sources as a cornerstone of our national development strategy,” Tinubu said.
He added that Nigeria is developing infrastructure for the widespread use of Compressed Natural Gas and electric vehicles and harnessing the potential in solid minerals to support the green energy transition.
The Nigerian leader stressed that his country is also implementing climate-smart agricultural practices to enhance food security and lessen its destructive environmental impact.
These include the introduction of the National Clean Cooking Policy, which aims to promote clean energy, environmental and health benefits, and socio-economic development in the African region.
The President said the government is working with local communities to implement solutions to mitigate the adverse consequences of the country’s environmental challenges, such as deforestation, desertification, coastal erosion, flooding, and pollution.
These challenges, he said, threaten the livelihoods of millions.
He called on partner countries to collaborate in mobilizing resources to tackle these challenges and embrace innovation and technology.
“To promote a Green Economy in Africa, we must focus on integrating sustainable practices in all sectors of our economy. These investments are capital intensive and require international support from partner countries, including multinational organizations, development partners and individuals who share our vision of a sustainable, prosperous and equitable future”, he said
According to the President, “Nigeria became the first country in Africa to initiate funding of green projects through Sovereign Green Bond proceeds, the third issuance of which is in progress.”
He urged investors to partner with Nigeria in this regard, expressing the administration’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
“By partnering with global leaders and harnessing the power of technology, we are finding new and innovative ways to address our environmental challenges. We have arable agricultural lands for advanced technological farming, including a bright future for Artificial Intelligence,” he said.
