By Abbas Nazil
Nigeria will need an estimated $336.5bn to implement climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes between 2026 and 2035, as the country faces growing pressure to mobilise funds for its climate commitments.
The Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Tenioye Majekodunmi, disclosed that the funding requirement comprises $195bn for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and $141.5bn for climate adaptation initiatives.
She said the proposed investments could generate employment opportunities and strengthen economic resilience across critical sectors, particularly energy, agriculture and infrastructure.
The funding estimate was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by Chaste Inegbedion, Head of Failure and Social Experiments at the Semaform Foundation, highlighting the financial challenges confronting Nigeria’s climate action agenda.
Majekodunmi’s disclosure comes amid concerns about the country’s ability to secure sufficient domestic and international resources to translate its climate commitments into practical interventions.
Meanwhile, the Semaform Foundation has announced plans to introduce a new platform, Grant Swipe, to connect organisations seeking climate finance with grant providers, investors and other funding institutions.
The platform will be officially unveiled at the foundation’s Handshake Summit and Awards scheduled for November 13, 2026, in Antalya, Türkiye, on the sidelines of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31).
According to Inegbedion, the initiative is designed to address difficulties faced by community-based organisations in accessing grants, while helping funders identify credible projects requiring financial support.
He explained that several promising climate initiatives remain unimplemented because their promoters lack the financial resources and institutional connections needed to move from planning to execution.
He described access to funding as a critical factor in translating climate plans into measurable environmental and social outcomes.
The summit, scheduled to hold between 1pm and 3pm, will bring together policymakers, investors, development practitioners and other climate stakeholders to explore opportunities in climate finance, artificial intelligence investment and trade.
One of the discussions, titled Happy and Hungry, will examine the contradiction between increasing global agricultural production and persistent hunger, which is estimated to affect approximately 670 million people worldwide.
The session will be moderated by Inegbedion and feature Daniel Oladoja, Lead Curator of Solar Stories and Visiting Fellow at the University of Exeter; Dr Babatunde Ajayi, General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency; and Dr Joy Nnamdi Amaoma of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
Another session, Ladies in Climate, will focus on improving access to green financing for women and persons with disabilities, particularly in renewable energy, clean cooking and climate-resilient enterprises.
The discussion will be moderated by Lyzianah Emakoua, a United Nations Economic Commission for Africa African Youth Climate Negotiator, with Lagos State Governor’s Special Adviser on Climate Change, Titilayo Oshodi, and Executive Director of the World Impact Initiative, Nneka Okoye, participating as speakers.
The organisers said the session would address financial and institutional barriers that prevent women and persons with disabilities from benefiting from climate investments, despite their exposure to environmental and economic challenges.
The event will also recognise 20 individuals for their contributions to climate action, environmental governance, policy development and sustainable development.
Among those scheduled to receive recognition are Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Climate Change and Security, Dr Kama Nkemkanma; Nnaemeka Oruh, secretary of the committee responsible for drafting Nigeria’s Climate Change Act; Dr Ajayi; Enebi Opaluwa of the BudgIT Foundation; and Comrade Yusuf Olatunji Kelani, Special Assistant to the President on Climate Change.
Other honourees include Emakoua, Oshodi and Okoye, alongside Ebaide Queen Omiunu, Founder and Executive Director of The Ebaidebheki Initiative, who will also serve as the event’s master of ceremonies.
Omiunu, who participated in the October 2026 Gambia Civil Society Summit, identified affordable climate finance, food security, climate resilience, an equitable energy transition and credible carbon market investments as important priorities for African countries.
She stressed the need for African representatives to present coordinated positions during international climate negotiations, noting that the continent’s concerns also reflect wider challenges confronting the Global South.
The summit will coincide with COP31’s November 13 thematic day on Finance and Trade, which is expected to address investment mobilisation and the strengthening of financial arrangements for climate action.
The COP31 Presidency has also highlighted food security, sustainable agriculture, clean energy transition, electrification, youth development and education as key areas of focus.
Inegbedion, who recently attended the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, said the summit would provide opportunities to strengthen partnerships among climate organisations, investors, policymakers and development institutions.
The Semaform Foundation said its work centres on connecting technology, climate action, philanthropy and community development to deliver measurable environmental and social impact.
