Nigeria’s 32.2% Emission Reduction Target: An Ambitious Climate Pledge for 2035

By: Abudu Olalekan

Nigeria is ready. Dead serious. By 2035, the country aims to slash emissions by 32.2%. Not a typo. Thirty-two point two. That’s not just a number—it’s a promise wrapped in policy, backed by cash, and timed with urgency.

Tenioye Majekodunmi said it loud in Belem, Brazil. November 13, 2025. COP30 was buzzing, side events packed, but her words cut through the noise. She’s the Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC). When she speaks, investors listen. “We’re not waiting,” she said. “We’re moving.”

And here’s the kicker—this 32.2% cut? Could be worth $2.5 billion a year in carbon markets by 2030. Billions. In Africa’s largest economy. Imagine that.

It’s not just about saving the planet. Well, yeah, that too. But this is also about jobs. Growth. New income streams. Clean energy projects rising across the Niger Delta, solar farms in Katsina, reforestation in Cross River—all feeding into a market that pays for pollution avoided.

“We’re using every tool,” Majekodunmi added. Market-based systems. Non-market approaches. All aligned with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The goal? Exceed it.

She dropped another bombshell: Nigeria wants to be Africa’s carbon market hub. Not just a participant. The hub. High-integrity credits. Transparent trades. A benchmark for low-carbon development.

How? Through the Carbon Market Activation Policy—CMAP. Sounds bureaucratic. Feels revolutionary.

CMAP lays down the rules. Who does what. How credits are generated. How taxes, subsidies, fiscal issues are handled. It’s like building a new financial lane—only this one runs on clean air and accountability.

No more confusion. No overlap. Everyone has a role. NCCC. Ministries. Private sector. Local communities. All locked in.

Transparency? Built in. Investor confidence? Designed from the ground up. Because let’s be real—without trust, the market collapses.

And yes, Nigeria’s aiming for all markets. National. Regional. Continental. International. Including Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. And the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM). Even CORSIA—the aviation offset scheme. They’re not leaving a single door closed.

Tariye Gbadegesin nodded when she heard it. CEO of Climate Investment Funds. Global player. Tough crowd. But she was impressed. “One of the best frameworks I’ve seen,” she said. High praise.

She pointed at Nigeria’s institutional setup. Clear lines. Defined roles. No messy overlaps. Exactly what global investors want before they write big checks.

“This isn’t just policy,” Gbadegesin said. “It’s a signal. Nigeria is open for climate business.”

And the government isn’t stopping there. A full regulatory framework is coming. Strong. Legally sound. Ready for scrutiny.

Think this is just talk? Look at the timeline. COP30 was the stage. But the work started long before. With data. With pilots. With local projects already generating early credits.

Now, it’s scaling. Fast.

Reportersroom has followed this story from Abuja to Belem. From boardrooms to forest edges where communities are mapping trees for carbon accounting. This isn’t top-down. It’s layered. Real.

Is it perfect? Nah. Bureaucracy still drags. Some agencies lag. Implementation will test nerves. But the direction? Unmistakable.

Nigeria isn’t chasing trends. It’s setting them.

So yeah. 32.2% by 2035. $2.5B by 2030. A national carbon economy taking shape.

Call it bold. Call it overdue. Just don’t call it unlikely.

Because this time, Nigeria seems ready to deliver.