By Faridat Salifu
The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has called for increased global climate financing to support energy access and climate resilience for vulnerable populations across Africa.
Speaking at the First African Conference on Climate Justice in Abuja, RMAFC Chairman Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu emphasized that climate funding must be strategically allocated to nations like Nigeria that are advancing energy transition efforts.
He noted that Nigeria’s constitutional amendment, which moved electricity regulation from the exclusive to the concurrent legislative list, allows subnational governments to participate more actively in power generation and distribution.
According to Dr. Shehu, this reform expands the country’s eligibility to access global climate finance at multiple levels of governance.
The conference, themed “Strategic Access, Mobilisation, and Equitable Allocation of Global Climate Funds for Vulnerable Populations,” brought together researchers, policymakers, and development practitioners to discuss inclusive frameworks for climate justice.
In his keynote address, Prof. Nnamdi Nwaodu, Director General of the Center for African-American Research Studies (CAARS), urged African countries to claim their place in climate finance negotiations.
He said climate justice requires that “vulnerable communities do not continue to suffer the most while contributing the least to climate change.”
Prof. Ignatius Onimawo, former Vice Chancellor of Ambrose Alli University, presented a technical paper on climate adaptation, governance, and resilience in African states.
Arc. Steve Nwaiwu, Principal Consultant at Delish Nature & Wellness Africa, highlighted the role of green infrastructure and wellness-based urban planning in addressing urban climate challenges.
Okechukwu Izim, a traditional ruler and Head of Political Science at Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, delivered two papers focusing on environmental justice from cultural and political economy perspectives.
Nwarieji Felistas, Director of the Center for Circular Economy Technology Education, also participated in the discussions, which centered on adaptation finance, circular economy opportunities, and climate governance models tailored to Africa.
Participants called for transparent and inclusive climate funding mechanisms that reflect the socio-political contexts of African nations.
They agreed that without equitable access to international climate finance, efforts to combat energy poverty and environmental degradation will remain severely constrained.
