By Abdullahi Lukman
Nigeria has called on climate stakeholders across all sectors to adopt a data-driven approach in preparing the country’s Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), with a strong emphasis on setting measurable targets and dismantling barriers to effective climate action.
At the close of a five-day Stakeholder Consultation, Engagement, and Data Collation Workshop in Lagos, Mr. Rasack Nayamuth, a consultant to the National Climate Change Council Secretariat (NCCCS), urged participants to take ownership of their roles.
He stressed the importance of accurate data through robust measurement, reporting, and verification systems to streamline climate policy integration into national and sectoral development plans.
“If every institution fulfills its responsibility, Nigeria will not only be able to report effectively but will mainstream climate change into planning processes and deliver lasting solutions for its population,” Nayamuth said.
Organized by the NCCCS and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the workshop aimed to gather data needed to update Nigeria’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The effort is designed to be inclusive, capturing input from a wide array of stakeholders, including persons with disabilities.
Highlighting systemic gaps, participant Mr. Bhardowaz Ramlowat noted that while some institutions have shared data, many still lack proper collection and management frameworks.
He emphasized the need for deeper collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to develop centralized databases, especially for state and local government data.
“Data exists, but the challenge is organizing it into a useful, accessible format. Many ministries have relevant information, but it’s scattered and underutilized,” Ramlowat said.
He added that climate data demands have evolved, requiring more precise and specialized inputs not yet routinely collected.
Responding to this, Olagunju Kehinde Julius, Chief Statistician at the NBS, countered the narrative that data is unavailable.
He attributed the issue to improper data access methods and insufficient funding for comprehensive climate-related data collation.
“Climate change data collection needs serious financial investment.
Without that, it’s difficult to meet the data needs for robust climate planning,” Julius said, pointing to Ghana as a country that prioritizes climate data effectively.
Halimah Bawa-Bwari, Director at the NCCCS, stressed that a country’s NDC is only as strong as the information behind it.
She called on all stakeholders to submit relevant data to ensure that NDC 3.0 accurately reflects the country’s climate realities and includes all key sectors.
The workshop brought together participants from Nigeria’s southern zones, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), academia, private sector actors, and international development partners.