Niger Leads In Carbon Market Ecosystem

The Niger State government has reaffirmed its commitment to establishing the Niger State Carbon Market Office (NSCMO) as part of a strategic drive to position the state as a leading participant in Nigeria’s emerging carbon market ecosystem.

This was disclosed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, during a meeting with stakeholders, development partners and technical experts to discuss the framework for the proposed office.

“Niger State is ready to take the lead and with the right partnerships and commitment, we can position ourselves as a model for subnational carbon market development in Nigeria,” he said.

He described the initiative as a significant milestone in the state’s broader agenda to align environmental sustainability with economic growth, revenue diversification and investment attraction.

According to him, under the leadership of Governor Mohammed Bago, the administration remains focused on implementing forward-looking policies capable of addressing environmental challenges while unlocking new economic opportunities for the people of the state.

The SSG said the establishment of the Carbon Market Office was not merely an environmental programme, but a strategic economic intervention designed to open access to climate finance, stimulate green investments, create jobs and strengthen the State’s revenue base.

He explained that his office, as the coordinating arm of government, would ensure a whole-of-government approach to the initiative by driving policy coherence, institutional alignment and seamless collaboration among all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs

The SSG noted that the State is adopting a deliberate, phased and disciplined model for implementation to ensure efficiency, accountability and long-term sustainability adding that, under the proposed governance structure, the Governor will provide strategic leadership, while his Office would oversee coordination and policy alignment.