By Faridat Salifu
Nigeria is stepping up efforts to tackle one of its most potent but underreported climate challenges methane emissions from dumpsites by building a national database to track and reduce emissions across the waste sector.
This fresh initiative emerged at a one-day stakeholder engagement workshop on data mapping of climate actors and the inception of advancing dumpsite methane emission reduction in Nigeria, jointly organized by the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Climate Change Matters and the Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADeV Nigeria).
The workshop brought together government agencies, climate experts, and civil society groups to advance a National Action Plan for Methane Mitigation in Dumpsites a key component of Nigeria’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0).
Delivering the keynote address, the Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Climate Change Matters, who was represented, said the country’s climate resilience depends on how effectively it manages its waste and methane emissions.
He explained that Nigeria’s recently submitted NDC 3.0 demonstrates the country’s renewed dedication to reducing emissions across agriculture, waste, and energy.
“The evidence is clear methane is one of the most dangerous greenhouse gases, and controlling it will yield immediate climate benefits,” he stated. “Our focus now is on developing a national strategy that aligns waste management with emission reduction targets.”
The presidential aide noted that the government’s coordinated approach involves stakeholders from across sectors, ensuring data consistency, transparency, and accountability in climate reporting.
Speaking on the scale of the challenge, Dr. Leslie Adogame, Executive Director of SRADeV Nigeria, described Nigeria’s waste sector as a ticking time bomb for methane emissions.
He revealed that Nigeria generates about 32 million tonnes of solid waste each year, with nearly 80 percent of it dumped in open or unmanaged sites. “Organic waste decomposes to release methane a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a short period,” he said.
Citing data from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), Adogame said landfills contribute around 11 percent of global methane emissions, calling for urgent attention to organic waste management and composting.
He recalled that Nigeria’s National Action Plan to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs), launched in 2018, set a target to recover half of all methane from landfills and reduce open burning by 50 percent by 2030.
“As a Global Methane Pledge Champion, Nigeria is already showing leadership,” Adogame added. “Through the MAMRN initiative, we are building the science and policy base needed to guide methane reduction in the waste sector.”
Representing subnational efforts, the Director-General and Special Envoy to the Osun State Governor on Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Prof. Chinwe Obuagu Igwe, said state governments must play a more active role in managing waste-related emissions.
“In Osun, we have mapped our stakeholders, created a Climate Smart Investment Portfolio, and developed an Action Plan to localize the National Climate Change Act,” she said.
She emphasized that climate policy must be driven by reliable data, adding that Osun is investing in digital databases to track waste, renewable energy, and agricultural emissions. “Every state must begin to build its own climate data architecture,” she said.
In his goodwill message, the General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) said Lagos is already implementing methane reduction strategies through its air quality monitoring network and land carbon registry.
He emphasized that collaboration across all states was vital to achieve Nigeria’s goal of reducing methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030.
Also speaking, Mr. Weyinmi Okotie, GAIA Africa’s Clean Air Programme Manager, said methane is responsible for 30 percent of global warming since the pre-industrial era, making its reduction essential for meeting the 1.5°C climate target.
He revealed that GAIA’s Methane Abatement in the Waste and Resource Nexus (MAMRN) Project, funded by the Global Methane Hub, is working to establish material recovery facilities in Lagos, Abuja, Jos, and Benin City to advance zero-waste practices and create green jobs.
“This initiative is not just about cutting emissions,” Okotie said. “It’s about empowering communities, creating jobs, and building a culture of sustainability.”
The workshop concluded with a joint resolution to build a national methane database, strengthen waste sector coordination, and embed data-driven action in climate governance.
Stakeholders pledged to transform Nigeria’s waste sector from an emission source into a hub for circular economy innovation and sustainable growth.