By Faridat Salifu
Nigeria officially launched the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) project today, marking a pivotal step in the country’s commitment to addressing climate change under the Paris Agreement.
This was made known in a workshop organized by the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja, which commenced, Thursday, January 16.
The project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), aims to enhance Nigeria’s capacity to monitor, report, and verify climate actions, particularly greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the progress of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Dr. Ama Moses, Director of Forestry and National Coordinator for REDD+, represented the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mahmud Adam Kambari at the workshop underscored the urgency of addressing climate change in Nigeria.
He highlighted the growing impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events, prolonged droughts, deforestation, and rising sea levels threatening coastal regions.
Dr. Moses emphasized the need for collaborative action at all levels—government, civil society, and the private sector—to tackle these challenges.
“Nigeria has shown leadership globally by setting ambitious climate goals, and our policies and programs are helping us work toward a net-zero commitment by 2060, alongside economic growth,” Dr. Moses said.
He pointed out that the CBIT project, which focuses on strengthening institutional and technical capacities, will play a crucial role in meeting the enhanced transparency requirements of the Paris Agreement, particularly in relation to GHG emissions, climate adaptation, and mitigation actions.
The CBIT project is designed to build the necessary systems to regularly track and report GHG emissions, enabling Nigeria to effectively monitor progress toward its climate commitments.
“This project will enhance Nigeria’s GHG inventory, strengthen the measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems, and ensure that we are transparent in our climate actions,” Dr. Moses added.
Dr. Moses also called for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to implementing the project, stressing that collaboration between ministries, agencies, and civil society is essential for its success.
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He also recognized the support of key partners, including the GEF, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), whose financial and technical contributions will be critical in advancing the project’s goals.
During the event, Dr. Adesoji A. Adeyemi, FAO National Consultant for GHG and MRV, spoke about the FAO’s strategic involvement in Nigeria’s climate goals.
He explained that FAO’s climate mitigation efforts align with the broader objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to stabilize GHG concentrations in the atmosphere, prevent dangerous interference with the climate system, and support sustainable development.
“The FAO’s role in supporting Nigeria’s climate transparency is vital, as we aim to assist in the formulation, implementation, and tracking of progress on climate actions.
We also focus on climate information, risk assessment, financing, and knowledge sharing,” Dr. Adeyemi said. He emphasized that technology transfer—through skills training, access to scientific data, and technical knowledge—is critical for enabling Nigerian institutions to effectively compile and report GHG emissions.
Dr. Adeyemi highlighted FAO’s long-standing engagement in over 40 countries, including Nigeria, and the organization’s focus on capacity-building to help nations meet the transparency requirements of the Paris Agreement.
As part of the GEF-CBIT project, FAO will provide technical assistance to strengthen Nigeria’s institutional capacity, helping the country meet its transparency commitments in climate action, including the tracking of NDC progress.
“The GEF-CBIT project will enable Nigeria to enhance its GHG emission data compilation, reporting, and verification processes, ensuring that climate actions are transparent and effectively monitored,” Dr. Adeyemi noted.
He also emphasized that the project would build a foundation for Nigeria to take a leading role in global climate governance, positioning the country to fulfill its climate commitments with greater transparency.
A Path Toward a Sustainable and Resilient Nigeria: Looking ahead, Dr. Moses expressed confidence that Nigeria’s climate resilience would be significantly strengthened through the implementation of the CBIT project.
By 2027, he stated, the country aims to improve its management of climate risks and build greater resilience to climate impacts. He encouraged all participants to dedicate their efforts to ensuring that the goals of the Paris Agreement are realized, with the CBIT project serving as a catalyst for transformative action.
“The hard work and collaboration that begin today will enable us to create a more sustainable and resilient Nigeria,” Dr. Moses said.
The workshop, attended by experts from government agencies, civil society organizations, and key climate partners, is expected to end, Friday, January 17, 2025.
