Nigeria’s Climate Plan: A Blueprint for Survival

By: Abudu Olalekan

The land is getting hotter. The rains, when they come, are angry. Floods swallow homes whole. Droughts crack the earth, leaving farmlands barren. This is the reality of climate change in Nigeria. It’s not a distant threat. It’s here, now. And for years, the nation has been grappling with how to fight back.

Finally, there’s a plan. A real one.

After what felt like an eternity of consultations, meetings, and assessments out in the field, Nigeria has done it. It has officially validated its National Adaptation Plan, or NAP. Think of it as the country’s official battle strategy against a changing climate. The goal? To get this plan submitted to the United Nations ahead of the big climate conference, COP30, in Brazil next year.

The event in Abuja was a big deal. It brought everyone to the table—government officials from all 36 states, non-state actors, community groups. They all agreed on one thing: this process was different. It was inclusive. Everyone had a voice.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, didn’t mince words. He laid out the stark truth. “If drastic and decisive actions are not taken now,” he warned, “coping with these impacts in the future will be more difficult and costly.” He was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mahmud Kambari, who drove the point home. Adapting isn’t just about building walls against the sea. It’s about preparing for what’s already here and what’s coming.

So, what’s actually in this plan? A lot. Supported by the Green Climate Fund, the NAP focuses on 13 critical areas, a roadmap built on Nigeria’s own National Adaptation Strategy. A key part of it is the Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment. Basically, it’s a deep dive into figuring out which communities are most at risk and what can be done to help them. It’s about finding the weak spots and strengthening them.

But they didn’t just stop there. During the process, they found gaps. Important ones. Things like how climate change affects men and women differently, and how it can fuel conflicts. They didn’t ignore them; they wove them right into the document. “I especially appreciate the NAP Global Network, who supported the country in addressing these gaps,” Lawal noted. And the work isn’t over. Talks are already happening to tackle other issues, like loss and damage, and how climate change forces people to move.

Now comes the hard part: implementation. A plan is just words on a page if it doesn’t lead to action. This means Nigeria needs to work together to secure the funding, both from home and abroad, to turn these ideas into reality.

Mr. Gift Gewona from the UN Environment Programme called the NAP a “living document.” That’s a powerful way to put it. It’s not something to be filed away and forgotten. It’s a guide for today, tomorrow, and years to come. “We are going to ensure we implement the plan,” he guaranteed.

And perhaps the most human element came from Dr. Angelina Ugben, President of the Global Disabilities Green Initiative. She reminded everyone that this plan is about people. All people. “This represents more than a policy milestone; it is a crucial opportunity to ensure that no Nigerian is left behind,” she said. Her group is fighting to make sure persons with disabilities are not just protected, but are part of the planning process itself. “Inclusion must go beyond consultation,” she stressed.

This document arrives at a critical moment. As the world pushes for a greener economy, Nigeria’s plan is its declaration. It’s a promise to its people to build a more resilient, just, and equitable nation, ready to face the storms ahead. It’s a long road, but for the first time, there’s a map.