- Event Aims to Equip Delegates for Just, Inclusive, and Well-Financed Climate Action at Global Summit
The National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), in collaboration with the British High Commission and PACE, has launched a two-day High-Level Pre-COP30 Briefing and Negotiators’ Training in Abuja to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness for the upcoming COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
The initiative seeks to sharpen the strategic, technical, and diplomatic skills of Nigeria’s delegation, ensuring that the country presents a united, well-informed front capable of securing tangible climate and development benefits.
Delivering her keynote address, Director-General of the NCCC, Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi, described COP30 as a pivotal moment for global climate action and a vital opportunity for Nigeria to translate international commitments into national gains. “This meeting is not another procedural call — it is an implementation call,” Majekodunmi declared. “COP30 must bring real results — cleaner air, sustainable jobs, resilient communities, and stronger livelihoods.”
She said Nigeria’s participation at COP30 would focus on achieving a fair, inclusive, and well-financed transition toward low-carbon growth and resilience. “We do not negotiate from a place of vulnerability, but from one of purpose, partnership, and possibility,” she emphasized.
Majekodunmi listed Nigeria’s key priorities for COP30 to include climate finance and implementation readiness, mitigation and just transition, adaptation and resilience, transparency, inclusion, and strategic partnerships.
She noted that the briefing and training are part of the NCCC’s ongoing effort to professionalize climate negotiation, ensuring that every delegate is equipped to advocate effectively for Nigeria’s interests under the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) and the Climate Change Act 2021.
Representing the British High Commission, Samantha Harrison commended Nigeria for its leadership and commitment, citing the country’s updated Economy-Wide NDC 3.0 as a model of ambition. “The UK understands the vital role skilled negotiators play at COP. Effective advocacy and consensus-building are key to achieving meaningful global climate progress,” she said.
Harrison described COP30 as a critical moment for rebuilding trust in multilateral climate cooperation and urged delegates to focus on concrete outcomes. “The UK stands ready to support Nigeria in attracting greater flows of climate finance and accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy,” she added.
She underscored that the Pre-COP training would help Nigeria’s delegates effectively champion national priorities such as access to finance, resilience building, and equitable climate action.
Earlier, Saadatu Gambo, representing the NCCC, welcomed participants and emphasized that the training was designed to enhance Nigeria’s negotiation capacity ahead of the high-stakes climate talks. “This is a platform to refine our skills, share best practices, and build confidence in navigating complex international negotiations,” she said.
The NCCC outlined Nigeria’s core agenda for COP30, which will take place in three phases: the pre-summit (November 6–7), technical negotiations (November 10–15), and the high-level segment (November 16–21).
Nigeria’s focus areas include implementing the Paris Agreement, securing climate finance under the new $1.3 trillion global goal, strengthening its NDC 3.1 with 2035 targets, and advancing the Global Goal on Adaptation to address Africa’s vulnerabilities.
The Council reaffirmed that Nigeria will engage at COP30 from a position of readiness and collaboration, determined to ensure that global climate diplomacy translates into measurable, people-centered development outcomes at home.
