By Philip Yatai
Nigeria Climate Justice Alliance (NCJA), a coalition of civil society organisations, community groups, youth movements, researchers, and media actors, has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing climate justice in the country.
The alliance made the commitment in a communique issued in Abuja on Wednesday, at the end of its two-day 2026 – 2030 Strategic Action Plan Review and Coordination Workshop.
The communique was jointly signed by Dr Joseph Onoja of Nigeria Conservation Foundation, Dr Michael David, Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation, and Dr Grace Alawa of Sustainable Action for Nature.
Other signatories are Mr Zinta Akpoko of Bridged That Gap Initiative, Mr Udochukwu Egwim of South Saharan Development Organisation, Patience AKaase of Women Empowerment Programme and Ahmed Tiamiyu of Community Action Against Waste.
According to the communique, the alliance would advance climate justice by strengthening community voices, protecting ecosystems, promoting equity, and holding duty-bearers accountable for climate action.
The civil society-led coalition added that it would work to promote climate justice by strengthening community voices, influencing policy processes, and supporting inclusive and sustainable responses to climate change in Nigeria.
The group observed that climate change has continued to exacerbate social and economic inequalities across Nigeria, with disproportionate impacts on frontline communities where resilience capacities are lowest.
It noted with concern that local communities, women, and youth are often compelled to engage in livelihood practices such as deforestation.
This action, according to the coalition, inadvertently exacerbates climate change, thereby trapping them in a vicious cycle of increased vulnerability.
It noted that weak coordination among civil society actors remains a critical barrier, significantly limiting collective influence on climate policy formulation and hindering equitable access to climate finance.
It explained that the developed action plan was part of strategies to strengthen collective climate justice action in Nigeria by improving coordination among members.
The members also agreed on priority actions to respond to the growing climate crisis and its impacts on vulnerable communities.
The coalition equally recognised the urgent need to transition towards people-centred, community-led, and justice-based climate solutions that prioritise the most vulnerable and address the root causes of inequality.
It agreed that CSOs and social enterprises should not work in silos, hence the need to strengthen the alliance’s vision.
According to the group, true climate justice needs to integrate gender inclusivity and people with disabilities.
NCJA, therefore, called on government institutions, development partners, the private sector, and the media to support inclusive, transparent, and people-centred climate action in the country.
It affirmed its strategic plan as the guiding framework for collective climate justice action.
The coalition agreed to strengthen its governance, coordination structures, accountability mechanisms, and establish functional working committees on public advocacy and change, resource mobilisation, knowledge and capacity building, and coordination.
It further agreed to develop a joint NCJA Action Roadmap with clear priorities, timelines, responsibilities and scale up coordinated advocacy to influence climate policies, promote a just transition, and amplify community voices.
It equally resolved to pursue joint resource mobilisation and strategic partnerships to support community-driven climate solutions and strengthen knowledge sharing, learning, and capacity building among members of the alliance. (NAN)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza
