President Bola Tinubu has dismissed Nkiruka Madueke from her position as the Director General of the Nigeria Climate Change Council (NCCC), a role to which she was appointed in June 2024.
The president has appointed Omotenioye Majekodunmi, a climate finance expert, as the new leader of the council.
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This was disclosed in a statement issued Wednesday by the president’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi as the new Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC),” Mr Onanuga said.
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According to the statement, the president praised Ms Madueke’s tenure, noting her foundational role in establishing the council.
It said Mrs Majekodunmi brings over 17 years of experience in global and national institutions focused on renewable energy, carbon markets, and climate governance.
Prior to this appointment, she served as the Council’s Financial Adviser, where she contributed to shaping Nigeria’s climate policies and international engagements.
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The new appointment, according to Mr Onanuga, underscores the Tinubu administration’s continued commitment to addressing climate change as a national priority for economic growth, security, and social inclusion.
Controversies and Concerns
The abrupt removal of Ms Madueke comes amidst allegations of misuse of authority, following accusations from various climate change activists, advocates, and stakeholders across relevant ministries, departments, and agencies within the country.
They contend that she denied them accreditation to participate in the 62nd Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Bonn, Germany, last month.
Although PREMIUM TIMES has yet to establish the main reason behind her sudden removal from office, but a high-ranking official from the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), who requested anonymity due to a lack of authorisation to comment publicly on this issue, expressed surprise at Ms Madueke’s dismissal, noting that they had been collaborating earlier in the day and that she appeared to be actively engaged in her role.
“She was present in the office today. I believe she was unaware that she would be dismissed. This must come as a significant shock to her. However, since our return from the last Conference of the Parties (COP), there have been ongoing speculations concerning her potential removal,” the official stated.
Ms Madueke’s dismissal occurred one year and almost two months after her appointment to succeed the inaugural Director General of the council, Salisu Dahiru, who was removed in June of the previous year.
Her removal will preclude her from leading Nigeria’s delegation at the upcoming 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) of the UNFCCC later this year in Belem, Brazil.
Last year, Ms Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s focal person at the diplomatic gathering, raised concerns during the closing plenary of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, when she labeled the agreement reached at the conference as “unrealistic” and offensive to the principles enshrined within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
“We cannot accept this. You expect us to establish ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The New Collective Quantified Goals (NCQG) were intended to facilitate our attainment of realistic financial objectives. The figure of $300 billion is unattainable. We must confront the truth,” Ms Madueke articulated during the session last year.
Her remarks elicited mixed responses from conference participants and spurred considerable debate both domestically and internationally.
While many commended her for her forthrightness among global leaders, others criticized her for adopting an activist tone in a diplomatic forum.
Ms Madueke’s removal marks her as the second Director General of the NCCC to be removed from office prior to fulfilling the four-year term mandated by the legal framework that established the council. Similarly, her predecessor, Mr Salisu, who would have completed two years in office by July 2024, was also dismissed without serving the full term stipulated by the Act.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari enacted the Climate Change Act 2021 into law, which received ratification and passage by the National Assembly in October 2021.
This Act establishes a legal framework aimed at achieving low greenhouse gas emissions and integrating climate change initiatives into national plans and programs.
In addition to the establishment of the NCCC, which holds the authority to formulate policies and make decisions pertaining to all climate change matters in Nigeria, the Act mandates collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to develop mechanisms for “carbon tax and carbon trading” in Nigeria. Proceeds from these initiatives, among other funds, are intended to support the Climate Change Fund proposed by the Act.
Prior to Ms Madueke’s appointment as the NCCC Director General last year, former spokesperson for Mr Tinubu, Ajuri Ngelale, was designated as the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action (SPEC) on May 19, 2024, following the formation of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions.
The president has empowered the SPEC office to act as the country’s lead negotiator on climate-related matters, oversee the carbon market and management initiatives, and serve as the coordinating interface between the Secretariat of the NCCC and the NCCC Supervising Council.
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Other responsibilities assigned to this newly established office include acting as the focal point for Nigeria’s engagement in UNFCCC conferences, including COP meetings and other relevant international discussions on climate-related and green economic matters.
The allocation of these tasks presents significant overlap and potential conflicts with the provisions of the existing Climate Change Act, effectively diminishing the responsibilities of the NCCC Director General. Amidst this power struggle, Mr Ngelale was compelled to resign from his position due to allegations of inefficacy and insubordination.
Climate change advocates within the country have expressed concern regarding the ongoing changes at the leadership level of the climate change focal point, asserting that Nigeria’s influence in negotiations within the African bloc and globally may be adversely affected.
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