Climate Change: FG Woos Private Capital, Warns Adaptation Gap Threatens Nigeria’s Development

The government said climate adaptation must now be viewed not only as an environmental responsibility but also as a critical economic and investment opportunity, urging businesses, financial institutions, development partners and other stakeholders to develop bankable projects capable of attracting large-scale investments.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, made the call in Abuja at a stakeholders’ engagement on the socialisation of Nigeria’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) with development partners and the private sector.

Lawal, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Salihu Aminu Usman, said the successful implementation of the NAP would depend on stronger collaboration among government institutions, the private sector, financial institutions, research organisations, civil society groups and local communities.

He said Nigeria remained committed to global climate action while aligning its climate policies with national development priorities.

According to him, the government has put in place a number of policy and institutional frameworks, including the Climate Change Act, Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), National Adaptation Plan, Energy Transition Plan, National Clean Cooking Policy and National Carbon Market Activation Framework.

These initiatives, he said, were designed to support Nigeria’s transition to a climate-resilient and low-carbon economy.

The minister described the National Adaptation Plan as a major milestone in Nigeria’s response to climate change, noting that it provides a comprehensive framework for identifying climate risks, reducing vulnerabilities and integrating adaptation measures into national, sectoral and sub-national development plans.

He said the plan had identified key priorities in sectors such as agriculture, water resources, health, infrastructure, energy, biodiversity, forestry, disaster risk management and human settlements.

However, Lawal warned that moving from policy formulation to actual implementation would require substantially more investment, technology transfer, stronger institutions and new financing models.

“The adaptation gap requires new partnerships, innovative financing mechanisms, technology transfer, strengthened institutions and sustained investments,” he said.

The minister also called for climate risks to be incorporated into development planning and investment decisions across all sectors, stressing that adaptation could no longer be treated as an issue restricted to the environmental sector.

He acknowledged the role of development partners in supporting Nigeria’s climate agenda, particularly in strengthening institutions, building technical capacity, improving climate data and information systems, facilitating access to international climate finance and supporting adaptation projects across the country.

Lawal further assured investors of the federal government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for greater private-sector participation through policy reforms, institutional coordination and strategic partnerships.

He urged participants to focus on practical and commercially viable solutions that could attract investment and accelerate the implementation of the NAP.

“Together, let us build a future where every investment strengthens resilience, every partnership accelerates progress, and every Nigerian has the opportunity to thrive despite the challenges of a changing climate,” he said.

The permanent secretary, Usman, represented at the engagement by the Director of Climate Change in the ministry, Dr Iniagbon Abiola-Awe, said government could not single-handedly finance the scale of adaptation interventions required across the country.

He identified the private sector as a critical driver of innovation and investment in climate resilience, particularly through the development of climate-resilient technologies, resilient value chains, climate insurance, infrastructure and nature-based solutions.

“Adaptation is no longer solely a public policy issue; it is increasingly a business imperative and an investment opportunity that can deliver economic, social and environmental returns,” Usman said.

He also commended development partners for their contributions to Nigeria’s climate governance, institutional development, technical capacity and access to climate finance, while calling for stronger partnerships to implement the priorities contained in the NAP.

Earlier, Abiola-Awe said the engagement was organised to deepen stakeholders’ understanding of the National Adaptation Plan, highlight its strategic priorities and investment opportunities, and create a platform for discussions on accelerating implementation.

She said the meeting would also strengthen coordination among stakeholders, identify areas for collaboration and mobilise resources required to convert the NAP from a policy document into practical interventions that would improve the resilience of communities, ecosystems and the Nigerian economy.

In a goodwill message, the Chief of Mission of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Sharon Dimanche, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in implementing the NAP.

Dimanche, represented by Hajara Jalo, said the engagement provided an important platform for deepening partnerships, identifying investment opportunities and developing practical collaborations capable of translating the objectives of the NAP into lasting benefits for communities.

Participants at the engagement included representatives of government institutions, private companies, financial institutions, academia, civil society organisations and development partners, including the IOM, World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).