Nigeria to Roll Out Comprehensive National Carbon Market Policy Soon, Says NCCCS

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria will soon be rolling out a comprehensive National Carbon Market Policy, Manual of Procedure and Regulation for carbon pricing mechanisms in the country.

When released, these documents will provide the overarching structure for carbon pricing mechanisms in Nigeria, including those potentially applicable to the telecommunications sector.

Leading the development of these documents is the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS).

Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change and Director General, NCCCS, Dr Nkiruka Maduekwe, revealed this plan on Tuesday at the Hybrid Stakeholders Consultation Workshop on Carbon Pricing in Nigeria’s Telecommunication Sector, held in Abuja.

According to Maduekwe, this process is currently underway and benefiting significantly from stakeholder input, ensuring that the final output is robust, practical, and aligned with international best practices.

She said: “Your contributions to this workshop will directly inform the ongoing development of this crucial national framework. promoting carbon pricing mechanisms, we are exploring the feasibility and implementation of carbon pricing instruments, such as emissions trading schemes and carbon tax as stipulated in sections 4 and 15 of the CCA, to incentivize emissions reduction and drive investments in clean technologies.”

Maduekwe, while noting that the workshop will explore the telecommunications sector’s carbon footprint and mitigation opportunities and the various carbon pricing mechanisms and their suitability for the sector, said: “These will also include the potential economic and social impacts of carbon pricing and developing a roadmap for implementation.”

She added that the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat is committed to driving co-creation as this is crucial to fostering implementation, stating that: “We recognize that the telecommunications sector is unique, with its own set of challenges and opportunities. Therefore, it is crucial that we adopt a tailored approach that considers the specific circumstances of the sector. Your insights, perspectives, and experiences will provide us the tools useful to develop a carbon pricing mechanism that is both effective and feasible for the telecommunications sector.”

She emphasized that with stakeholders collaborative efforts, Nigeria can develop a robust and effective carbon pricing mechanism for the telecommunications sector.

Maduekwe explained that: “This mechanism will not only contribute significantly to national emissions reductions but also serve as a valuable model, informing the development and implementation of similar mechanisms in other key sectors of the Nigerian economy. The insights and best practices derived from this pilot initiative will be instrumental in scaling up carbon pricing across various industries, catalyzing innovation, stimulating investment, and fostering sustainable economic growth nationwide.”

She noted that the workshop forms part of the process to ensure a whole of government and society ownership of the charted pathway, stating that: “We are exploring the feasibility and implementation of carbon pricing instruments, such as emissions trading schemes and carbon tax as stipulated in sections 4 and 15 of the CCA, to incentivize emissions reduction and drive investments in clean technologies.”

While explaining that the workshop is a prime example of Nigeria’s commitment to inclusive policy development, Maduekwe said: “We believe that collaboration is key to effective climate action. We are actively engaging with stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as media, academia, and civil society organizations, to ensure that our policies are inclusive and effective.”

On his part, the Regional Lead United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)-Regional Collaboration Centre for West and Central Africa, Mr Walter Tubua, asked all stakeholders to conduct formulation of a carbon tax “a pilot carbon tax design” in a very transparent and inclusive manner.

He said that the UNFCC is committed to formulating climate change polices that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals and poverty eradication.

He said: “We are here to work with you on what you what to achieved, and we will be standing right here with you to help you achieved these.”

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Mohammed Fall, urged all stakeholders to actively participate, share knowledge, and collaborate to ensure that this pilot carbon tax design is effective, equitable, and aligned with Nigeria’s development aspirations.

He emphasized that the outcomes of the workshop will lay the foundation for future climate policies in Nigeria and demonstrate the country’s leadership in adopting innovative solutions for emission reductions.

Fall said: “This collective effort from the UN family, combined with the active participation of the private sector some her with us today guided by growing ESG principles, and supported by forward-thinking policies like carbon pricing, is what will truly drive Nigeria’s transformation towards a resilient, low-carbon future.”

He also reiterated that the UN System in Nigeria are committed to this journey, and will continued to partner with the Federal and State Governments of Nigeria.

He added that: “The UNFCCC, through the RCC WAC Africa, has also been quite instrumental in supporting our exploration of innovative climate finance mechanisms, including the interesting subject of carbon pricing. The UNFCCC’s guidance has been invaluable in helping all of us to navigate this complex landscape, and their support is exemplified by our gathering here today. UNIDO is driving industrial decarbonization and promoting clean energy projects, helping us to green our industries and build a more sustainable economy.”

Deputy Director, Head, Knowledge Management, Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, Dr Beluchi Nwanisobi said the NCC will continue to collaborate and work with National Council on Climate Change Secretariat, NCCCS to achieve its mandate.

The workshop was organized by NCCCS in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission with the support of UNFCCC Secretariat and its Regional Collaboration Centre for West Africa.

Nigeria to Roll Out Comprehensive National Carbon Market Policy Soon, Says NCCCS

Tackling twin peaks of malaria and malnutrition in Kano, northwest Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

Zuwaira Muhammad, 26, sits on a hospital bed at the Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre (ITFC) at the Unguwa Uku Primary Healthcare Centre in Kano, northwest Nigeria. Here, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) offers critical treatment to children suffering from malnutrition. By her sides, lie her 10-month-old twins—Safwan, a boy, sleeping peacefully on her right, while Safuna, a girl, lying on her left-hand side is currently receiving a blood transfusion.

Safuna is one of the over 40,000 children treated for malnutrition in Kano in 2024. The children brought to MSF-supported facilities primarily come due to malnutrition but upon screening, most of them are found to also have malaria.

From January to May 2024, about 9,000 out of the 14,000 children diagnosed with malnutrition tested positive for malaria after screening. Malaria and malnutrition have a complex relationship, with malnutrition increasing the risk of malaria and malaria increasing the risk of malnutrition. This relationship can lead to a cycle of malnutrition and malaria, which can be especially harmful to children under five.
“Malaria can reduce appetite and make it harder for the body to absorb nutrients, leading to malnutrition. Conversely, malnutrition can weaken the immune system, making children more susceptible to infections like malaria,” says Dr. Yanu Mbuyi, MSF Medical Coordinator in Nigeria.

Malaria is one of the leading causes of death in Nigeria. According to the WHO’s 2024 World Malaria Report, Nigeria accounts for 26 percent of malaria cases globally. Kano state contributed an estimated nine percent of Nigeria’s 68 million malaria cases in 2021 and 30 percent of admissions to Nigeria’s hospitals are because of malaria.

Our teams in Kano have observed a distressing increase in the number of children suffering from malnutrition, as evidenced by the rise in admissions. In 2022, MSF treated 7,798 children for malnutrition; that number rose to 23,800 in 2023 and 46,304 in 2024.

“What we had in 2024 was a twin peak of malaria and malnutrition with 36,546 confirmed cases of malaria, the highest number recorded since we started working in Kano”, says Dr. Hemmed M Lokonge, the MSF Project Coordinator in Kano.

In response to the rising rates of malnutrition, MSF expanded its operations by opening additional outpatient treatment facilities in Kumbotso, and Rijiyar Lemo, alongside the already established one in Unguwa Uku. During the malnutrition crisis, the 75-bed inpatient facility in Unguwa Uku reached full capacity, prompting the opening of an additional 90-bed centre at Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital. This was full in just two hours.

“Safuna is feeling better now compared to when I brought her here a few days ago,” Muhammad says, having travelled over 40 kilometres from Wudil to access MSF services. “She was weak and could hardly move, but now she has more energy and can even laugh.”

MSF activities in Kano, which began as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, evolved to include general outpatient department support and response to the growing malnutrition crisis. Presently, MSF is the only organisation providing inpatient therapeutic feeding services in Kano, with patients coming from 37 out of the 44 local government areas (LGAs) in the state, as well as from neighbouring states.

Since 2022, MSF has consistently raised concerns about the increasing number of children admitted for malnutrition at its facilities across northern Nigeria. In 2024, our teams treated over 357,000 children who were suffering from malnutrition in the facilities where we are working in the north. This is an increase of 35 per cent compared to the 265,500 children treated in 2023. Among those treated in 2024, 75,000 required inpatient care, while 282,000 received outpatient treatment.

In 2024, the surge in malnutrition cases began as early as March, well before the usual peak season in July, and extended through November, a time when cases are typically expected to decline. This situation raises fears that the severity of malnutrition in 2025 could exceed that of previous years.

The persistent malnutrition crisis in northern Nigeria stems from a variety of factors such as inflation; food insecurity; insufficient healthcare infrastructure; ongoing security issues, and disease outbreaks worsened by low vaccine coverage.

Tackling acute malnutrition in northern Nigeria requires a multi-faceted approach. Immediate measures include strengthening healthcare facilities to diagnose and treat malnutrition. Additional steps involve reinforcing vaccine programmes, enhancing access to nutritious food, improving water and sanitation, and raising awareness.

Currently, MSF operates outpatient clinics in only three Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kano State: Tarauni, Fagge, and Kumbotso. This limited geographical coverage is significant, considering that Kano State is made up of 44 LGAs. It underscores the insufficient number of clinics available to address the large volume of children suffering from malnutrition.

MSF advocates for establishing outpatient feeding centres across all LGAs in Kano to enhance community-based management of malnutrition and reduce severe cases. In 2025, MSF’s health promotion activities will shift focus to community education, empowering families to recognise early signs of malnutrition and address them before hospitalisation is necessary.

It is essential that health authorities, international organisations, and donors intensify their efforts to address the escalating malnutrition crisis in Kano and throughout northwest Nigeria—a region currently lacking sufficient humanitarian response, to prevent further lives from being lost in 2025.

Tackling twin peaks of malaria and malnutrition in Kano, northwest Nigeria

Yobe police command welcomes 280 newly trained constables

By: Dungus Abdulkarim,

Yobe State Police Command has welcomed 280 newly trained Police Constables, comprising 245 General Duty personnel and 35 Specialist Cadre officers. These constables, all of Yobe State origin, successfully completed a 6-month training program at the Police Training College in Maiduguri.¹

The Commissioner of Police, CP Garba Ahmed, congratulated the constables on their achievement, emphasizing the importance of discipline, respect for human rights, and adherence to standard working procedures. He encouraged them to refrain from actions detrimental to the force and their personal careers.

The constables will be deployed to their local areas of origin, in line with the Community Policing strategy, and may be redeployed to other parts of the state as when due.

To ensure their smooth transition, He tasked officers to provide strict mentorship and close supervision.

The command appeals to the public to maintain their cooperation in ensuring the state’s security and safety.

Yobe police command welcomes 280 newly trained constables