By Abdullahi Lukman
A two-day training workshop on climate change litigation has been launched in Lagos to empower female lawyers across Nigeria with the skills and knowledge to advance climate justice through the legal system.
Organised by the non-governmental organisation Natural Justice, with support from African Activists for Climate Justice, the training aims to strengthen legal strategies for holding governments and corporations accountable for environmental harm.
Speaking at the event, Natural Justice Country Manager, Mr. Michael Karikpo, highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and stressed the need for gender-inclusive approaches to environmental justice.
He pointed to existing frameworks such as the Climate Change Act and Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions as tools that legal practitioners can use, while raising concerns about poor transparency in the use of Nigeria’s ecological fund.
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Karikpo also advocated for the integration of climate change law into Nigeria’s legal education curriculum, stating that empowering women in law would amplify the voices of vulnerable communities.
Environmental lawyer Mr. Ishaku Mshelia, in his presentation titled “Climate Change Litigation in Nigeria: An Evolving Trend,” underscored the connection between climate science and legal response.
He described the Climate Change Act as a foundational legal framework and called for enhanced judicial understanding and lawyer capacity in climate litigation.
Executive Secretary of HEDA Resource Centre, Mr. Sulaimon Arigbabu, delved into the science of climate change and its severe effects on Nigeria.
He identified gas flaring, weak enforcement, and poor policy implementation as major challenges and urged participants to use legal tools to defend the rights of those most affected, particularly women and children.
The workshop marks a key step in promoting gender-responsive legal advocacy in Nigeria’s fight against climate change, as stakeholders work to build a community of legal professionals capable of leading climate action through the courts.
