The National Climate Change Council and its Secretariat will be formally established by the Federal Government in accordance with the Climate Change Act 2021.
In November 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Climate Change Bill into law. The establishment of the climate change council was predicated on this.
A statement released by the presidency reveals the government’s approach to mobilizing Nigerians to transition the country to a low-carbon economy and society in line with global best practices.
It read, “The Climate Change Act 2021, signed into law by President Buhari on November 20, 2021, provides an overarching legal framework to achieve Nigeria’s long-term climate goals. These goals include meeting Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions, among which is President Buhari’s pledge, at the COP 26, for Nigeria to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.
“In addition to making provision for national climate resilience, the Act institutionalizes climate reporting, auditing, finance, and funding through fiscal and other mechanisms and incentives, while also mainstreaming climate change actions into national development priorities and imposing climate obligations, including reporting, on both public and private sector institutions.
“The act thus requires a whole-of-government approach to mobilize all Nigerians to transition our country to a low-carbon economy and society. The NCCC is the implementing body in charge of supervising the CCA and coordinating the transition to a low-carbon economy.
“Given the existential import of its mandate, it necessarily transcends any single government ministry, department, or agency. The council is thus a reflection of this. It has a diverse membership that includes representatives from the government, organized labor, the private sector, and civil society. The NCCC is supported by a secretariat that is headed by a Director General.
“As part of the process of putting this implementing mechanism into effect, the government is aware of the need to promptly appoint a director general to lead the secretariat upon inauguration. Hence the president’s directive to screen the recommended candidates, from whom the pioneer director general will be unveiled and announced.” The statement concluded
