Has Nigeria Truly Turned the Climate Corner?
Has Nigeria Truly Turned the Climate Corner?
By Jerry Adesewo
When the European Union-funded Nigeria Climate Change Response Programme (NCCRP) officially drew its curtains in Abuja earlier today, the air in the NAF Banquet Hall was filled with both satisfaction and unease. The five-year collaboration between the European Union and the Federal Ministry of Environment had aimed to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to respond to the existential threat of climate change through governance reform, education, and data-driven adaptation systems.
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As a guest and Artistic Director of Arojah Royal Theatre, I had the privilege of contributing to the proceedings in a different language — the language of art. My company presented a 15-minute performance titled “Earth: Our Common Home.” The short play, a blend of ritual and reflection, dramatized humanity’s uneasy relationship with nature. Through spoken word music, movement, and dialogue, it posed a haunting question: “If the earth is our common home, why do we live in it like careless tenants?”
That question lingered in the air long after the applause faded, mirroring the sentiment that echoed through many of the day’s speeches during the seminar themed “Climate Change Governance: The Importance, Where We Are, and Way Forward.”
A Partnership of Progress and Paradox
To the excitement of the Nigerian Minister of environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, the technical team took turn to highlight several measurable achievements under the NCCRP: the establishment of a Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system for tracking emissions; the development of a climate education curriculum; production of 38 episodes radio drama in Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and pidgin languages; training of 43 climates journalists in Lagos and Jos, to improve climate reporting; and baseline assessments of waste management in some states.
From the European Union side, Ambassador Gautier Mignot praised Nigeria’s growing institutional readiness to manage environmental data and build awareness. These are not small victories in a country where policy often struggles to move from paper to practice.
And yet, even in the midst of celebration, the paradox was evident: most of these gains remain confined to institutional frameworks, far removed from the lived realities of ordinary Nigerians. In flood-prone communities, waste continues to clog the drains. In rural schools, climate education remains a concept, not a classroom experience.
The Elephant in the Room: Funding and Sustainability
As panelists shared their perspectives, one recurring question refused to go away: Who will fund the next phase of Nigeria’s climate journey now that EU support has ended?
The NCCRP has done well to set systems in motion, but donor dependency cannot be a long-term climate strategy. If Nigeria is to “own” its climate future, the Federal Government must embed climate budgeting into every ministry and agency, while states must stop treating environmental policy as an afterthought.
But beyond Nigeria lies a continental concern: What is the African Union’s role in financing and coordinating climate resilience? Africa remains the least emitter globally but the hardest hit by climate disasters — and yet, its mitigation efforts are largely underwritten by the West. The AU must rise from rhetoric to reality, establishing a Continental Climate Fund supported by African governments, regional banks, and private investors. Without such a framework, Africa’s climate resilience will continue to exist at the mercy of external donors.
When Art Meets Advocacy
As “Earth: Our Common Home” concluded, it was clear that art can give flesh to data and heart to policy. The MRV figures and emissions charts presented earlier in the seminar found their human expression in the grief of a farmer watching his crops wilt, the cry of a child coughing through polluted air, and the lament of spirits mourning fallen trees.
Theatre, in moments like this, becomes more than entertainment; it becomes conscience. It reminds policymakers that climate change is not a statistic but a story of people, places, and lost possibilities. When policy loses its moral urgency, art restores it. This is the reason there is a robust creative initiative on climate change in Europe and America.
From Seminar to Sustained Action
As the final group photograph was taken — diplomats on one side, government officials on the other — there was cautious optimism in the air. The message was unmistakable: Nigeria must sustain the momentum. That means:
– Ensuring the MRV system continues to function and evolve.
– Rolling out the climate education curriculum across all schools, not just pilot states.
– Integrating theatre, storytelling, and creative communication into climate sensitization efforts.
– Protecting budget lines for climate work beyond the lifespan of donor-funded projects.
– Building multi-sectoral collaborations among civil society, the private sector, and academia.
The Corner Still Awaits Us
The NCCRP closing ceremony was both a celebration and a warning. Nigeria has indeed taken meaningful steps toward climate governance, but to declare that we have “turned the corner” would be premature.
We may have reached the bend — one that demands endurance, courage, and visionary leadership to keep moving forward, even when foreign partners are no longer holding our hands.
“Earth: Our Common Home” reminded everyone, the planet’s plea is simple: “Protect me, and I will shelter you.”
Whether Nigeria heeds that plea, with or without donor funding, will determine not just the fate of our environment, but the soul of our nation’s development journey.