Civil Society Centre Engages Lawmakers On Fiscal Reforms For Clean Energy

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has engaged members of the National Assembly in a high-level policy dialogue on the phase-out of fossil fuels, clean energy transition, and fiscal reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s pathway to a low-carbon economy.

The forum, held in Lagos, drew legislators, civil society organisations, and policy stakeholders to review the nation’s energy transition priorities, climate governance, and the equitable distribution of economic benefits in a post-fossil era.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, represented by Hon. Akin Rotimi, described the engagement as timely and strategic to the National Assembly’s Legislative Agenda (2023–2027).

He identified priority commitments, including strengthening NESREA, enforcing the Climate Change Act, accelerating the adoption of renewable energy, reducing gas flaring, and restoring polluted communities.

According to him, Parliament will play a central role in designing fiscal instruments that stimulate renewable investment while protecting livelihoods. While adding, “The transition must empower, not exclude. We must protect workers who depend on traditional energy value chains.”

Keynote speaker, Dr Dieter Bassi, emphasised the global and national climate governance imperatives guiding transition policies.

He stated that international climate action is anchored in multilateral frameworks, including the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement, which was adopted in 2015.

Bassi stressed that the Paris implementation mechanism relies heavily on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and climate finance, saying, “There is no way we can tackle climate change without climate and green financing.”

He added that Nigeria had already demonstrated commitment through COP13, confirming, “Nigeria passed the Climate Change Act to provide a legal framework for adaptation and mitigation, and we established a high-level Council on Climate Change chaired by the President.”

In his remarks, CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa, noted that the dialogue was designed to sharpen climate responsibility, resource governance and the future of Africa’s energy and economic security.