By Abbas Nazil
Nigeria has confirmed eight approvals for international carbon credit sales, signalling a shift from policy development to project delivery in the country’s carbon market.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, Ibrahim Shelleng, disclosed that the Federal Government issued six Letters of Authorisation in March 2026 and two additional approvals by September.
Shelleng spoke at a session on country readiness on October 14 at the Carbon Markets Africa Summit 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda.
The authorisations provide formal government approval for carbon credits generated in Nigeria to be traded and used internationally, opening a pathway for eligible projects to access overseas markets.
The development was assessed by Nigerian project developer 9JA Carbon Trade, which said the approvals showed Nigeria had established a framework for advancing carbon projects.
Co-Technical Manager of the company, Timothy Solomon, said the challenge for Africa was no longer proving it could supply carbon credits, but demonstrating that projects could deliver reliable results and tangible benefits for host communities.
“The responsibility of developers is to bring forward projects that meet the necessary standards for approval,” Solomon said, adding that developers must demonstrate integrity, secure fair prices and deliver measurable community benefits.
His colleague, Ekene Okpara, said the authorisations gave developers greater confidence in the process, but sought clarification on whether Nigeria planned to establish bilateral carbon agreements and requested guidance for developers still awaiting approval from the National Council on Climate Change.
The Kigali summit, which closed on October 15, drew about 600 delegates from 52 countries and over 150 organisations to discuss how to strengthen Africa’s position in the global carbon market.
Participants urged African governments to complete and implement carbon market regulations, while calling on investors and buyers to move from pledges to concrete long-term purchase agreements.
The summit’s closing statement stressed that market integrity, transparency and trust were essential to attract investment, noting that host communities must be treated as partners whose benefits are clearly defined and fairly shared.
Governments were urged to publish data on authorisations and transfers, while development partners were asked to increase funding for project preparation, identified as a major barrier to viable projects.
Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, Dr. Bernadette Arakwiye, said developing regulations was only part of the task, stressing the need for effective implementation. She noted that 87 per cent of Rwanda’s issued credits come from improved cookstoves, while agriculture has contributed barely one per cent of voluntary market credits in two decades.
The International Air Transport Association told delegates that the UN’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, CORSIA, will become mandatory in 2027 and will require government-authorised credits.
The European Commission also disclosed plans to purchase credits covering up to 260 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent between 2036 and 2040.
Meanwhile, the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market reported that credits with its Core Carbon Principles label sell for about 25 per cent more on average, while ratings agency BeZero Carbon said reforestation credits could range from $5 to over $40 depending on ratings.
The African Union Development Agency, AUDA-NEPAD, said Africa still relies on foreign verifiers for more than 90 per cent of carbon project verification, causing delays affecting up to half of projects. It said its accelerator programme would support African validation and verification bodies to reduce external dependence.
The summit also saw the launch of the Africa Carbon Investment and Finance Alliance to connect projects with financing, while the United Nations Development Programme outlined five support windows for developers.
Participants urged African countries to approach COP31 in November with a united position and evidence of successful project implementation.
