The Nation Newspaper

Tag: climate finance

  • Journalists urged to spotlight climate finance for global investments, job growth

    Journalists urged to spotlight climate finance for global investments, job growth

    Amid growing calls for economic resilience, a recent training initiative has equipped Nigerian journalists to highlight climate finance opportunities, aiming to attract international investments and create better jobs for citizens.

    The workshop, held in Abuja, focused on human-centered climate reporting, emphasizing how journalists can frame stories to connect environmental challenges with governance, policy, and economic prospects. 

    Organized by a consortium led by Goldapples Media Associates, in partnership with Climate Africa Media Initiative and Centre (CAMIC) and African Newspage, the sessions trained reporters from radio, TV, print, and digital platforms in solutions-oriented journalism.

    Ayo Makinde, CEO of Goldapples and consortium lead, stressed reframing climate issues as daily realities influenced by policy decisions, enhancing accountability and public awareness.

    Facilitators like Aliu Akoshile of CAMIC linked climate science, finance, emissions, and justice to Nigerian communities, while Adam Alqali of African Newspage shared ethical approaches to accountability reporting. Participants tested CAMIC’s Climate Explainer Toolkit, introduced by Helen Bassey Osijo, to simplify complex topics.

    Supported by the UK-funded Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE), the program underscores journalism’s role in national development.

    PACE media advisor, Enene Ejembi, said that PACE is a UK International Development funded programme that works with the Government of Nigeria to identify governance and climate challenges and develop solutions that increase prosperity and economic development.

    According to Ejembi, PACE works closely with government institutions to unlock service delivery while also amplifying citizens’ voices by identifying their needs, priorities, and expectations.

    “The media is the fourth estate of the realm. Journalists play a critical role in aggregating citizens’ voices and ensuring accountability. That is why we engage closely with journalists and media executives.

    “Governance has more than one side. There is the government side and there is the citizens’ side. We always ask: where are the citizens in this conversation?”, Ejembi stated.

    She noted that PACE adopts a whole of society approach, working with civil society organisations, government agencies, community groups, state governments, and the press.

    Speaking on climate finance and economic opportunity, she said that when journalists highlight climate finance opportunities and resources, they help Nigeria attract global investment, deepen existing investments, and create higher incomes and better jobs for Nigerians.

    She urged journalists to approach climate and governance reporting with patriotism and national development in focus, ” What do Nigerians need to know about climate and governance? How can these lead to more investment, trade, job creation, and prosperity for Nigerians?” 

    At the end of the programme, attendees reported greater confidence in linking climate stories to human impacts, with the consortium committing to ongoing support for journalism that drives investment and growth in Nigeria.

  • Low-emission farming to unlock climate finance

    Low-emission farming to unlock climate finance

    Nigeria’s drive to cut short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) from agricultural activities is gaining traction as a potential gateway for climate finance and carbon market investment, the Federal Government has said.

    This was disclosed at the close-out workshop of the Abatement of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants in the Nigerian Agricultural Sector Project held in Abuja.

    Speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, said the initiative has shown how climate-smart agricultural practices can open new funding opportunities for farmers while advancing Nigeria’s climate obligations.

    The project, implemented by Self Help Africa in partnership with the Ministry and funded by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, targeted reductions in methane and black carbon emissions by promoting alternatives to open-field burning across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

    Ogunbiyi explained that although the project benefited from international grant support, its long-term value lies in its ability to deliver measurable, bankable climate outcomes capable of attracting private sector and blended financing.

    “Reducing methane and black carbon delivers fast climate benefits, and these are exactly the kinds of outcomes global climate finance and carbon markets are increasingly looking to support,” he said.

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    He noted that emission reductions achieved through practices such as water-efficient rice cultivation, sustainable management of crop residues and conservation agriculture could be packaged into carbon credit schemes, providing additional income streams for farmers and cooperatives.

    According to the Ministry, the project has demonstrated that smallholder farmers can effectively participate in carbon markets when mitigation measures are practical, verifiable and tied to productivity improvements.

    In more than 20 demonstration plots across 15 communities—particularly in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State—farmers adopted no-burn farming methods, climate-resilient cropping systems and residue-to-briquette technologies. These approaches not only cut emissions but also improved crop yields and reduced household energy costs.

    “These results position Nigerian agriculture as a credible candidate for results-based climate finance, where farmers are rewarded not just for producing food, but for delivering climate services,” Ogunbiyi said.

    The SLCP Abatement Project aligns with the Climate Change Act of 2021 and Nigeria’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which recognise agriculture as a key sector for both mitigation and adaptation efforts.

    Also speaking at the workshop, the Director of Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Services (ALCCMS) said embedding SLCP mitigation into agricultural policy would enhance Nigeria’s access to global climate funds, voluntary carbon markets and emerging methane-reduction financing mechanisms.

    “Climate-smart agriculture is no longer just an environmental agenda; it is an investment opportunity,” the ALCCMS Director said.

    The Federal Government used the occasion to urge financial institutions to design tailored credit products for farmers adopting low-emission practices, while calling on development partners to support longer-term, results-based financing models that connect emission reductions with rural income growth.

    Ogunbiyi stressed that expanding the gains recorded under the project would require strong coordination among agricultural, environmental and financial institutions, alongside improvements in rural infrastructure and extension services.

    “As we conclude this project phase, the task before us is to convert pilot success into sustainable finance pipelines. With the right climate finance structures, Nigerian farmers can become active players in carbon markets while strengthening food security and rural livelihoods,” he said.