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The House of Representatives is advancing a bill to establish a comprehensive national framework to drive Nigeria’s decarbonisation agenda and coordinate the country’s transition toward a low-carbon economy.
The proposed National Decarbonisation Bill, currently before the House, seeks to provide a legal framework to harmonise climate policies, emission-reduction initiatives, and energy transition programmes implemented across different sectors of the economy.
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Chairman of the House Committee on Mandatory National Decarbonisation, Sesi Whingan (PDP, Lagos), disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists after a stakeholders’ technical roundtable on Nigeria’s national decarbonisation programme held in Abuja.
Mr Whingan said the bill, which has already passed its first and second readings in the House, is expected to proceed to a public hearing before the end of the month as lawmakers intensify consultations on the proposed legislation.
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According to him, the initiative is designed to complement the provisions of the Climate Change Act, 2021, by creating a more coordinated legislative framework for Nigeria’s decarbonisation efforts.
He explained that the legislation would strengthen the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) and align multiple government programmes aimed at reducing carbon emissions and expanding clean energy adoption.
“This bill is designed to complement what the National Council on Climate Change is already doing. It has already gone through the first and second readings in the House, and hopefully, before the end of the month, we will move towards the public hearing stage,” Mr Whingan said.
He said the roundtable was organised to gather inputs from critical stakeholders whose contributions would help shape the proposed legal framework.
Participants at the session included representatives of the organised private sector, the oil and gas industry, environmental advocacy groups, energy experts and officials involved in climate governance at both federal and state levels.
Mr Whingan noted that policy clarity and sustainable funding mechanisms would be essential for the success of Nigeria’s decarbonisation programme, particularly in attracting investments in renewable energy and low-carbon technologies.
According to him, closer collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government would help provide the certainty required by both domestic and foreign investors.
“We all agreed that there is a need for strong collaboration between the executive and the legislature so that investors, both within and outside the country, can clearly understand the direction Nigeria is taking in its decarbonisation efforts,” he said.
The lawmaker also stressed the importance of extending climate action beyond federal policy circles by actively involving state governments and grassroots communities.
To broaden national participation, he disclosed that the committee plans to convene a National Carbon Summit in June, bringing together representatives from the 36 states and the 774 local government areas.
The summit, he said, will serve as a platform for broader discussions on the practical implementation of Nigeria’s decarbonisation strategy, balancing environmental sustainability with economic development.
“There is no way we can achieve significant progress if local communities are not involved. We must move beyond conversations at the top and take the programme down to the grassroots,” he said.
Mr Whingan explained that the committee on Mandatory National Decarbonisation was established to review Nigeria’s existing climate laws and policies, assess the country’s emissions profile across major sectors, and identify the institutional, financial, and technological requirements for implementing a nationwide decarbonisation programme.
He added that the committee is currently consulting with government ministries, regulatory agencies, state governments, industries, civil society organisations, and international partners to ensure that the proposed framework aligns with global best practices in climate governance.
According to him, the panel is also examining potential economic and social implications of implementing a national decarbonisation policy to ensure that the transition is both inclusive and sustainable.
Mr Whingan said the ongoing consultations and the forthcoming public hearing are aimed at developing a robust legislative framework to guide Nigeria’s long-term transition to a low-carbon economy.
Earlier in the session, Director for Africa at the Global Wind Energy Council, Wangari Muchiri, highlighted the economic potential of Nigeria’s decarbonisation drive, describing it as a gateway for economic diversification, job creation, and increased investment in clean energy technologies.
Ms Muchiri said the shift to a low-carbon economy is particularly urgent given the carbon-intensive profile of key sectors such as oil and gas, power generation, and agriculture. She said the global pivot toward cleaner energy systems offers Nigeria an opportunity to reposition itself economically, tapping into what she called the “rapidly expanding carbon economy.”
“The decarbonisation agenda for Nigeria is really critical. Many sectors in Nigeria, including oil and gas and agriculture, are very carbon-heavy. But in today’s global economy, this presents a big opportunity for Nigeria to capitalise on the carbon economy, create jobs, and bring new income into the sector,” Ms Muchiri said.
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She pointed to Nigeria’s growing policy commitments as a sign of readiness, citing statements by President Bola Tinubu at international climate forums, including the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which signal Nigeria’s willingness to pursue a structured transition to low-carbon development.
“The president has said on several occasions, including at COP last year, that Nigeria is prepared for a decarbonisation agenda. We are excited to see many partners ready to walk this journey with the country,” she said.
She urged development partners, investors, and technical experts to expand their engagement with Nigeria by providing financing, transferring technical knowledge, and building local capacity, measures she described as critical to accelerating the country’s shift toward a sustainable and low-carbon economy.
