By Abbas Nazil
The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing industrial carbon emissions, aligning with international climate agreements and the country’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
The pledge was made during a stakeholders’ engagement workshop on the National Industrial Decarbonisation Programme (NIDP) in Abuja, organized by the National Environment Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in collaboration with Oxytane Africa Investment Limited.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mahmud Kambari, emphasized the importance of sustainable industrial practices.
He acknowledged that while industrial activities are crucial for economic growth, employment, and national development, they also significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, driving climate change and environmental degradation.
Lawal highlighted Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to combat climate change, referencing the nation’s alignment with the Paris Agreement and its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
He described the NIDP as a strategic initiative aimed at facilitating the adoption of cleaner technologies, improving resource efficiency, and supporting industries in transitioning towards low-carbon operations.
Director General of NESREA, Dr. Innocent Barikor, stressed that the NIDP is designed to establish a strong regulatory and compliance framework to support Nigeria’s net-zero target.
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He noted that the industrial sector—comprising cement, fertilizer, chemicals, and metals—plays a crucial role in Nigeria’s economy but is also a major contributor to carbon emissions.
With industrial emissions projected to triple between 2010 and 2030, Barikor underscored the urgency of immediate action to mitigate these environmental impacts while enhancing global competitiveness.
Barikor outlined four main pillars of the decarbonisation programme: promoting environmentally sound technologies and energy-efficient practices, developing innovative mechanisms for carbon credit generation and trading, establishing comprehensive compliance monitoring, and fostering public-private sector partnerships for knowledge-sharing and collaboration.
He emphasized that these measures would not only support environmental sustainability but also create new revenue opportunities for industries and the government.
The Chairman of NESREA’s Governing Board, Garba Mohammed, called for a transformation in industrial practices, advocating for cleaner technologies, enhanced energy efficiency, and stronger compliance mechanisms for carbon credit trading.
He reiterated the necessity of a collective effort to shape a robust regulatory framework for Nigeria’s decarbonisation drive.
Managing Director and CEO of Oxytane Africa Investment Limited, Tamarankro Obriki, assured stakeholders of the company’s commitment to supporting the initiative.
He noted that industrial decarbonisation is a global concern and reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s dedication to positioning Nigeria at the forefront of the global climate action movement.
