NATIONAL POLICY ON CLIMATE CHANGE

What Is This Policy?

The National Policy on Climate Change provides the programmatic framework for Nigeria's response to climate change, covering mitigation (reducing emissions) and adaptation (building resilience). It sits alongside the Climate Change Act 2021, which gives it legislative force, and is implemented through the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP 2021 to 2025).

Who Does It Target?

All federal and state government ministries, departments, and agencies with a climate change dimension Private sector companies in high-emission industries: energy, transport, manufacturing, and agriculture Climate-vulnerable communities in coastal zones, the North-East, Niger Delta, and Lake Chad Basin Development partners and international climate finance institutions seeking to co-invest in Nigeria's transition

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Achieve a 47% conditional and 20% unconditional reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 relative to business as usual Attain net-zero GHG emissions by 2060 in line with Nigeria's long-term low-emission development strategy Mainstream climate action into Nigeria's annual budget cycle, sector policies, and all three tiers of government Build national resilience to the current and projected impacts of climate change on agriculture, water, health, and coastal infrastructure

Key Features

Mitigation Priorities: End routine gas flaring; expand renewable energy; improve energy efficiency; reduce deforestation; promote low-carbon transport and agriculture Adaptation Priorities: Climate-smart agriculture; coastal protection and managed retreat; drought-resilient water systems; early warning systems for extreme weather Five-Year Action Plans: Rolling five-year National Climate Change Action Plans (NCCAPs) set sector targets; the current plan covers 2021 to 2025 Climate Fund: Nigeria Climate Change Fund receives and deploys domestic and international climate finance including Green Climate Fund and Adaptation Fund allocations Carbon Budget System: Established under the Climate Change Act 2021; each MDA operates within a designated carbon budget reviewed every five years REDD+ and Blue Carbon: Policy supports REDD+ forest carbon and emerging blue carbon opportunities in Nigeria's mangroves and coastal wetlands

Current Status

Rollout Stage: Active; NCCAP 2021 to 2025 in implementation; DCC coordinates across all 36 states and FCT Implementing Body: Department of Climate Change (DCC), Federal Ministry of Environment; Presidential Council on Climate Change NDC Progress: Nigeria submitted a revised, more ambitious NDC in 2021; tracking reports submitted to UNFCCC annually Vulnerability: Nigeria ranks among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable countries globally; annual economic losses attributed to climate impacts exceed $3 billion Funding: Nigeria Climate Change Fund, Green Climate Fund, World Bank, ADB, and bilateral climate finance from Germany, EU, and UK

How to Access

Government Agencies: Download the NCCAP 2021 to 2025 and submit annual sectoral climate action reports to the DCC Businesses: Register with the national GHG inventory system via the DCC; obtain carbon credits through verified emission reduction projects Communities: Access adaptation grants and resilience-building programmes through the Nigeria Climate Change Fund and state environment ministries Contact: Department of Climate Change, FMEnv: environment.gov.ng | [email protected]

Official Resources

Website: environment.gov.ng | unfccc.int/nigeria Contact: Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment, Zone 3, Wuse, Abuja Policy Summary | Source: DCC FMEnv, Climate Change Act 2021, UNFCCC Nigeria NDC, World Bank CCAP Project, Heinrich Boll Foundation | February 2026

Legal Framework

The National Policy on Climate Change operates under the Climate Change Act 2021 (which gives it legislative force), Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution, and the Environmental Impact Assessment Act 1992. It aligns with Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement (UNFCCC), the NESREA Act 2007, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, and the African Union Common Position on climate change.