Nigeria is boosting livelihoods through climate change adaptation by implementing strategies in agriculture, water management and disaster risk reduction. The Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, said this on Wednesday during the Nigeria Day celebration on the sidelines of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Belem, Brazil.

The MRD was created in 2024 to formulate and execute plans for fast-tracking regional development across Nigeria.

Mr Momoh said key efforts include promoting climate-smart agriculture, such as drought-resistant crops and early warning systems; developing flood control and shoreline protection; and using community-led projects to diversify livelihoods beyond agriculture.

These initiatives, he said, aim to increase resilience, improve food security, and secure sustainable livelihoods, particularly for vulnerable populations.

According to him, the plan covers the six regions and the Niger Delta region in Nigeria, which will be implemented by the six Regional Development Commissions and the Niger Delta Development Commission.

“The regions are not immune to climate change. Challenges include drought and desertification, erosion menace, flooding, ocean surge, water pollution, and declining health, among others.

“Existing practices like gas flaring, oil spills, and unsustainable energy practices have compounded ecological fragility.

“The plan is aligned with Nigeria’s economy-wide NDC types, which include agriculture, forestry and other land use, power, oil and gas, transport, industry, waste, water, health, education, and circular economy strategies among others,” said the minister.

He said the ministry had determined to guide the regional development commissions and other stakeholders in implementing collective measures to address the causal factors and impacts of climate change through adaptation, mitigation, and other measures.

Magnus Onuoha, the executive director of the West Africa Green Economic Development Institute, said the Integrated Climate Action Plan for the MRD would be executed from 2025 to 2030.

According to him, the ICLAP-MRD specific objectives include institutional framework, adaptation and mitigation, with the adaptation strategies as the key priority, while climate change mitigation is the secondary priority.

“The goal is to develop and implement robust measures to improve the adaptive capacity and resilience of vulnerable communities and settlements. The plan emphasises that a low-carbon development strategy is indispensable to sustainable development.

“The foundational principles and guiding strategy include consistency, sustainable development, energy focus, integration and entrepreneurship. The intent is to foster a low-carbon but high-growth economic development path and build a climate-resilient society,” he said.

The executive director explained that the ICLAP-MRD is a multifaceted plan with nine key components working together to achieve the plan’s objectives.

According to him, the key components are promotion of climate-smart agriculture and mariculture; industrial sustainability; renewable energy; blue economy; inland waterways; entrepreneurship and technical support; and financing and communication strategies.

Mr Onuhoa reiterated that the ICLAP-MRD would provide a strategic roadmap for transitioning Nigeria’s RDC and the NDDC towards a more sustainable and competitive future.

(NAN)