The Nigerian government says it is targeting a 47 per cent emission reduction by 2030.

Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, said this at the 2025 edition of the Africa Climate Forum in Abuja on Tuesday.

The 2025 ACF has as a theme “Bolder, Greener, and Better Steps: Closing Transition Gaps in Africa.”

Mr Keyamo, represented by his Special Adviser on Foreign Direct Investments, Obafemi Bajomo, said the theme speaks directly to the urgency of Nigeria’s time.

“Our goal is clear: to meet and exceed our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, targeting up to 47 per cent emission reduction by 2030 with international support.

“Through our Energy Transition Plan, Nigeria is charting a clear path to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060, expanding renewable energy access, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

“We are scaling up climate-smart agriculture, advancing reforestation under the Great Green Wall Initiative, and investing in climate education and public awareness so that every citizen becomes a partner in progress,” Mr Keyamo said.

The minister assured that Nigeria was committed to sustainable transformation within the aviation sector.

Isaac Parashina, Kenyan High Commissioner and Ambassador to Nigeria, said climate change was no longer merely an environmental issue.

“Africa does not lack vision. It lacks cohesion between aspiration, institutions, and the resources necessary to sustain them.

“Kenya now leads Africa in geothermal production, with over 90 per cent of megawatts connected to the national grid and further projects underway.

“This success is grounded in policy continuity, investment certainty, and a regulatory environment that encourages innovation,” Mr Parashina said.

He revealed that Kenya’s campaign to plant 15 billion trees by 2023 sought not just environmental restoration but a cultural shift, a reimagining of civic duty where every tree planted is an investment in the future.

“Kenya believes that Africa’s climate transition must be collaborative. No country can address this challenge alone.

“Kenya and Nigeria, for example, have enormous potential to cooperate in renewable energy, green technology, sustainable agriculture, and carbon markets,” he added.

Similarly, Muhammad Dingyard, Minister of Labour and Employment, said the labour and employment sector played a crucial role in achieving Nigeria’s climate goals.

Mr Dingyard, represented by James Obadiah from the ministry, said a critical transition towards a greener economy was vital for job creation in sustainable practices, renewable energy, and environmental conservation.

In a keynote address, Omotenioye Majekodunmi, director-general of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), said the council had deepened collaboration with international partners to enhance Nigeria’s climate data verification framework.

(NAN)