National News
FG, AFD to Strengthen Co-operation on Climate Action in Nigeria

FG, AFD to Strengthen Co-operation on Climate Action in Nigeria
By: Michael Mike, Abuja
The federal government and the French Development Agency, “Agence Française de Dévelopment” (AFD) have renewed their commitment to strengthen their cooperation towards promoting climate action and the low carbon economic development in Nigeria.
This agreement was reached on Wednesday when the new Country Director of the French Development Agency, Mr. Xavier Muron paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of State for the Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor at her office in Abuja.
Muron said the visit was to discuss AFD strategies and priorities for climate action in Nigeria, especially based on the just concluded COP26 and the commitment of Nigeria in this regard.
He also said the meeting was intended to provide an opportunity to discuss the upcoming launch of the Nigeria Deep Decarbonization Project (DDP Nigeria) scheduled to hold in Abuja in the coming week.
The Country Director noted that AFD was already funding and collaborating with the Ministry on several high-impact projects in the areas of waste management, biodiversity conservation, urban development, power transmission, and off-grid capacity development. Some of these, he said, are already ongoing while some are in the pipeline.
Muron said he was especially excited about the Nigeria Deep Decarbonization Project which is a national research and capacity building project for the implementation of a Deep Decarbonization Pathway Programme (DDPP) in Nigeria funded by the Agence Française de Dévelopment (AFD) with the International Relation and Sustainable Development Institute (IDDRI) as the Programme Coordinator.
The project is done in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment under a framework established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Federal Government and the AFD signed in December 2020. The key objective of the DPP Nigeria is to mobilize and reinforce the capacities of local teams of experts and researchers in Nigeria to be able to produce country studies analyzing decarbonization scenarios and low-emission development pathways. DDP is led by the Center of Climate Change and Development at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo with researchers from several universities across the country participating as Research Fellows.
The National Project leader for DDP Nigeria, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke who is the Director of the Center for Climate Change at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State said he was excited that the DDP Nigeria will build the capacity of Nigeria to develop scenarios produce robust quantitative models that can help guide Nigeria’s long term low emission development.
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Responding, the Minister of State thanked the AFD for their visit and for both their current and pipeline of funded projects to help Nigeria tackle climate change and related environmental challenges.
She said the Ministry is determined to tackle the myriad of challenges posed by climate change with the support of both national and international cooperation.
She said it was evident through the ambitious NDC recently submitted by Nigeria that drastic measures are required in the areas of climate mitigation as well as efforts to enhance the adaptive capacity of Nigeria to protect the country from the negative impact of climate change.
Ikeazor said the ministry is fully aware of the imperative of energy transition for the country and is already working in close collaboration with other relevant ministries and agencies to facilitate the financing and implementation of the Energy Transition Plan of the government.
The Minister noted that while the production of country studies analyzing pathways for low-emission development strategies for Nigeria has always been a critical component of the national climate policy, generating context-relevant long term climate scenarios and modeling for Nigeria has become even more imperative in the light of the newly submitted NDC and the net zero carbon pledge made by the President at COP26 in Glasgow.
The Minister expressed optimism that the analysis that will be done under the Nigerian Deep Decarbonization project will complement the scenarios work done in the Energy Transition Plan so that the country will have a rich menu of options for pursuing her decarbonization agenda with a clear understanding of the implications the various decarbonization options and pathways.
She said she was looking forward to hosting the participants in the launch to present the DDP project to the larger community of stakeholders to ensure wider project ownership as well as to begin the conversation on the scenarios and modeling options that can help Nigeria achieve her stated long-term climate objectives including the goal of net-zero emission by 2060.
Ikeazor announced the commitment of Nigeria to achieve the goal of net-zero emission by 2060 that a Federal Executive Council memo is being prepared for a sustainable National Energy Transition plan for the country.
FG, AFD to Strengthen Co-operation on Climate Action in Nigeria
National News
At Launch Of Ethiopia’s GLI, VP Shettima Urges Practical Action Against Climate Change

At Launch Of Ethiopia’s GLI, VP Shettima Urges Practical Action Against Climate Change
** Says Nigeria, Ethiopia have the largest stake in Africa’s future by keeping continent green
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on nations of the world to be decisive about combating climate change, saying it is a danger that must be arrested with practical actions.
According to him, while the global threat is not one that can be resolved in a conference room, it requires each country to respond to the peculiarities of the ecological burdens confronting them.
The Nigerian Vice President, who stated this on Friday during the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative (GLI), in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, said he was delighted to share in the joy of Ethiopia’s resolve to confront the threat posed by climate change “with clarity, courage, and conviction.”
The Ethiopian Green Legacy Programme, which is designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
Senator Shettima, who is in the East African country for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali, implored nations to enhance their climate plans by doubling their adaptation and mitigation efforts.
He said, “We have long accepted that climate change is not a problem to be solved in a conference room; it is a danger we must arrest with practical actions, with each nation rising to the occasion by responding to the peculiarities of the ecological burdens they face.
“Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative is one such response. It is an inspiring blueprint to reimagine the future. The promise of GLI is the dream of every nation. It is a lesson in vision, in purpose, and in audacity. For those of us who have followed this programme, the numbers are staggering, but the impact is even more compelling.
“To plant 20 billion seedlings within four years, to establish over 20,000 nurseries, and to create hundreds of thousands of green jobs is to show that the future is something we must plant, nurture, and build.”
VP Shettima noted that he was not in Ethiopia to only share in the country’s joy and exchange ideas but to also convey what he described as the deep and abiding solidarity of his boss, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the people of Nigeria.
Applauding those who made the Green Legacy Initiative a reality, he assured Ethiopia of Nigeria’s unflinching support, adding that both countries have the largest stake in Africa’s future.
“Ethiopia and Nigeria are the two most populous countries in Africa. This distinction is not just statistical; it is existential. It means we have the largest stake in Africa’s future. It means that more of our people are exposed to the peril of climate change, and it also means that we face the highest cost of inaction.
“This is why we are not mere spectators in this fight. We are partners. We are participants. And we are prepared to play our part to keep Africa green,” the Vice President pledged, just as he said it is the promise Nigeria and other nations have been making at the Conferences of the Parties (COP) every year.
“It is the pledge we renewed at the last COP in Azerbaijan. And today, we gather not only to stand by this promise but to celebrate the path Ethiopia has illuminated for the world,” he added.
Senator Shettima thanked the government and people of Ethiopia for the warmth and generosity extended to him and other members of the Nigerian delegation.
He said they felt at home, “not just because of the hospitality shown to them, but because the launch of the Green Legacy Programme resonates with the aspirations “to leave behind a planet fit for the dreams of generations to come.
In his address at the event, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on African countries to make the Green Legacy a culture, adding that Ethiopia was proud of Nigeria and its bold move to embrace the green initiative.
The Prime Minister called for partnership across African countries, stating that it was time to place less emphasis on foreign aid and begin to focus more on indigenous and home-grown domestic ideas and visions.
“This year’s Green Legacy is to rise by planting, and it is in consonance with our plan to shock the world with our Green Legacy vision. We never received any aid when we set out to achieve our 20 billion tree planting initiative.
“We thank Nigeria for supporting and accepting this initiative. With its population and growing economy, we are sure that the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as exemplified by the esteemed presence of Vice President Kashim Shettima, will go a long way in raising the awareness and collaborative effort needed amongst African countries,” the Prime Minister said.
He further expressed optimism that with Ethiopia’s hosting of the forthcoming United Nations summit on Climate Change, the stage is set for all hands to be on deck to achieve one of Ethiopia’s biggest green revolution plans.
Earlier in the day, Vice President Shettima was guided through Ethiopia’s Unity Park, Science Museum, and the Adwa Victory Memorial Museum, which showcase Ethiopia’s historic and transformative trajectory.
At Launch Of Ethiopia’s GLI, VP Shettima Urges Practical Action Against Climate Change
National News
VP Shettima Arrives For Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme Launch

VP Shettima Arrives For Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme Launch
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived at the venue for the official launch of Ethiopia’s flagship Green Legacy Programme in Addis Ababa.
The project is part of Nigeria’s commitment to regional and continental collaboration on climate action and aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritizes environmental sustainability, food security, and green economic growth.
VP Shettima is in the company of the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed.
The Vice President, who is on an official state visit to Ethiopia, will participate in the launch ceremony of the environmental initiative aimed at combating deforestation and mitigating climate change effects.
The Green Legacy Programme targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period to enhance biodiversity and address environmental challenges across Ethiopia.
This initiative aligns with Nigeria’s existing endeavours in afforestation and reforestation, such as the Great Green Wall project, which focuses on restoring damaged environments, combating desertification, and fostering climate resilience throughout the Sahel region.
VP Shettima Arrives For Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme Launch
National News
VP Shettima Arrives In Ethiopia For Official State Visit

VP Shettima Arrives In Ethiopia For Official State Visit
By: Our Reporter
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency, Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali.

He was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.

During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.

In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
VP Shettima Arrives In Ethiopia For Official State Visit
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