Director General and CEO of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, said Nigeria must urgently transition to a low-carbon economy despite contributing minimally to global emissions because of its vulnerability to climate change impacts.

“Although Nigeria’s contribution to the global carbon emission is very minimal, Nigeria is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because of its location in the African continent and because of our low adaptive capacity,” Maduekwe said.

She outlined key areas requiring transformation, including smart agriculture practices to reduce emissions and enhance sustainability through optimised resource use, renewable energy adoption, and carbon sequestration through improved land management.

She also called for substantial private sector investment in sustainable infrastructure development, particularly in energy systems and transportation transformation. Personal Assistant to the President on Subnational Infrastructure (Office of the Vice President), Musaddiq Mustapha Adamu, emphasised the administration’s commitment to subnational leadership in driving climate innovation.