By Abigael Joshua

The Federal Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group to develop a National Carbon Budget for Nigeria.

The initiative is part of efforts to address climate change and meet international commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a Stakeholders’ Engagement towards the Development of the Carbon Budget.

“Nigeria stands at a crucial juncture in addressing the climate challenges that threaten our environment, economy, and social fabric,” Lawal said.

He emphasised that the move reflects Nigeria’s commitment to fulfilling its climate obligations while aligning national policies with sustainable economic growth, social development, and environmental preservation.

According to the minister, the development of a carbon budget is not merely a technical exercise but a national imperative that requires input from all sectors of society.

He said members of the technical group were drawn from the energy, transport, agriculture, water resources, financial sectors, civil society organisations, academia, youth, and women-led climate groups, among others.

“Nigeria is committed to addressing climate change through ambitious emission reduction targets as outlined in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the implementation of relevant legislation,” he said.

Lawal noted that government agencies would provide strategic oversight, while civil society organisations would serve as advocates and watchdogs to ensure transparency and inclusiveness.

He added that the private sector would play a key role in innovation and sustainable practices, while academia and development partners would provide technical insights, funding, and capacity building.

“A well-structured carbon budget will help Nigeria monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions effectively, contribute to global mitigation targets, protect ecosystems, and enhance resilience against climate impacts such as flooding, drought, and desertification,” he said.

Earlier, Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, a Professor of Global Climate and Environmental Governance, said carbon budget is the total amount of greenhouse gases a country can emit within a specified period to remain within a temperature target.

“Scientists have shown that the bulk of the rise in global greenhouse gas emissions stems from human activity,” he said.

Mr Kenneth Kwujeh, Director of Planning and Projects at the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, said a carbon budget aligns economic planning with climate goals.

He added that developing a succession plan for Nigeria’s carbon budget between 2026 and 2030 is essential for long-term economic growth.

Ms Yasmin Mohammed, Special Assistant to the President on Energy Transition, called for alignment across ministries, departments, and agencies to make the carbon budget a reality.

On his part, Mr Kunle Olusile, National Project Coordinator for the UN Industrial Development Organisation, assured of the organisation’s support towards the carbon budget initiative. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Tosin Kolade

By Usman Aliyu

Environmental stakeholders have raised alarm over ongoing carbon offset projects in Nigeria, calling them a dangerous form of modern exploitation that undermines local communities and ecosystems.

The stakeholders, comprising advocates and forest community leaders, voiced their concerns in Benin during a dialogue organised by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that carbon offsetting refers to compensatory actions taken by companies or countries responsible for greenhouse gas emissions.

These actions include paying for activities such as tree planting or forest conservation in other locations to “offset” or neutralise their carbon footprint.

While these carbon credits are traded in global markets, critics argue that the system is flawed, vulnerable to manipulation, and offers no real solution to the climate crisis.

In his opening remarks, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of HOMEF, said the carbon trading model was a ‘false solution’ that benefits foreign corporations while dispossessing local communities.

“Our people have always managed forests sustainably. When communities steward forests, they thrive. But once governments or corporations take over in the name of carbon protection, those forests become vulnerable,” he said.

Bassey disclosed that Nigeria had already lost over 90 per cent of its forest cover, with many so-called protected areas facing threats from illegal logging and mining.

He cited massive land grabs in Niger, Delta, and Cross River States, some as large as a million hectares, signed off under the guise of carbon offset projects.

“These deals don’t benefit our communities. In Mozambique, families were paid just $100 for seven years to watch over trees. For the next 99 years, they were barred from farming or accessing forest resources. That is carbon slavery,” he said.

Bassey also criticised the alleged deceptive nature of long-term carbon contracts.

“A tree may live a thousand years, but it will still die. These contracts run for 20 years or more, claiming the carbon value, after which the trees can be felled, and the communities are left with nothing,” he added.

Also speaking, Rita Nwaka of Environmental Rights Action (ERA) challenged the global narrative that equates monoculture plantations with forests.

“Our forests are more than just trees. They provide food, medicine, livelihoods, and cultural identity. It is the communities, not corporations that are the rightful custodians,” she said.

She shared a story of a 78-year-old traditional midwife whose medicinal practice was lost after plantations destroyed the forest that supplied her herbs.

Another widow, she said, received just N14,000 as compensation for 15 acres of productive farmland.

Nwaka also condemned reports of militarisation and gender-based violence in areas affected by REDD+ and carbon trading projects.

She revealed that women had faced harassment and even shootings during peaceful protests against a palm oil firm in Edo.

“We say no to REDD+, no to carbon credits, and no to false solutions. These schemes prioritise profit over people,” she declared.

A Panelist, Orheke Prince, traced the origins of the carbon market to the Kyoto Protocol, faulting its framework for excluding the voices of communities directly impacted by such schemes.

“We were never part of the design. That’s why we are resisting it. Any solution that is not co-developed with us is a solution imposed against us,” he said.

NAN reports that the dialogue, themed “The Truth Behind the Carbon Offset Market”, drew participation from activists, forest dwellers, and scholars from across the Niger Delta. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yinusa Ishola/Tosin Kolade

By Peter Uwumarogie

Malam Khalid Umar, a public convenience owner in Gombe State, says he has successfully built a house and currently earns over N150,000 monthly from operating his facilities in Gombe metropolis.

Umar, who made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Monday, said that the business had helped him to meet his family needs.

He said he had been operating public convenience business in the past 35 years and within the period, he had achieved a lot and invested the proceeds in other ventures to make more income.

According to him, he has eight toilet rooms and nine bathrooms at the Gombe main market.

He added that the business was his major source of income where he had been generating money to take care of his wife and eight children who are all attending schools.

He said “this business is good and has been my major source of income for years, as I have been able to build my personal house and attend to the needs of my family.

“I earn over N150,000 monthly and on daily basis, I make between N4,000 and N8,000 depending on the way the business turns out for the day.

“I thank God that people are patronising my facilities because when nature calls, no one can ignore it.”

Umar, who is the Chairman of Public Convenience Maintenance in Gombe State, said he was also able to further his education beyond secondary school to obtain a diploma in Islamic Affairs.

He said he had no regret venturing into the business, in spite of the discrimination he faced over the years, where people often accuse him of doing a job that they consider dirty.

He called on the state government and other stakeholders to invest in faecal waste management to improve public health, create jobs and wealth for youths of the state.

He also urged them to establish a Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) in the state to treat waste from over 85 public toilet facilities in Gombe metropolis.

“If the faecal sludge is well treated, the product can help to improve soil health and boost agriculture without resulting into health hazards,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu