By Olaitan Idris
Lagos, Dec. 19, 2025 – The landmark decisions emerging from the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, are poised to fundamentally reshape the climate action trajectory for Nigeria and the wider African continent, according to a detailed analysis by Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director General of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).
In an exclusive statement, Dr. Onoja framed COP30 not merely as another conference, but as a critical turning point in global climate diplomacy. “This summit marks the definitive shift from years of protracted negotiation to the urgent phase of implementation,” he stated. The conference brought together world leaders, negotiators, civil society, and scientific communities at a pivotal moment for the planet.
The cornerstone financial outcome—an agreement to significantly increase and ultimately triple climate finance flows to developing nations by 2030, aiming for a target of $1.3 trillion annually by 2035—was highlighted as transformative. “Finance is the oxygen of climate action, and nature-based solutions are the lungs that breathe life into it,” Onoja explained. For Africa, which bears the brunt of climate impacts despite minimal historical emissions, this pledge is particularly crucial for adaptation. “The continent’s urgent need is for increased, predictable, and accessible adaptation financing to build resilience in agriculture, water resources, and coastal communities,” he emphasized.
Dr. Onoja pinpointed specific mechanisms from COP30 that present direct opportunities for Nigeria. The newly established Tropical Forest Forever Facility was cited as a major avenue to bolster the country’s forest conservation and restoration efforts. This aligns directly with Nigeria’s ambitious commitments to end deforestation and the NCF’s flagship Green Recovery Nigeria (GRN) programme. “The GRN initiative provides a robust, nationally recognized platform to mobilise international funds, channel them effectively, and strengthen on-the-ground forest governance and conservation activities,” he said.
However, to capitalize on these opportunities, Onoja stressed that Nigeria must strengthen its domestic foundations. A critical need is for a well-curated, transparent national climate data database. “Accurate, verifiable data is the currency of credibility in climate negotiations and planning. It strengthens our negotiating position and allows for precise tracking of progress,” he noted. To this end, the NCF is collaborating with partners to implement the Capacity Building for Transparency Initiative, which will enhance the ability of five key greenhouse-gas-emitting sectors in Nigeria to monitor and report emissions data accurately.
The NCF DG also called for greater policy synergy among the three Rio Conventions—on Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Desertification. “Climate action must not come at the expense of biodiversity or lead to land degradation. Our solutions must be integrated, ensuring that efforts to sequester carbon also protect ecosystems and support livelihoods,” he argued. This holistic approach is embedded in the NCF’s mission to support Nigeria through the GRN programme, technical advisory services, and direct implementation of community-centric climate projects.
Praising Nigeria’s negotiating team for their improved preparation and clearer articulation of national priorities at COP30, Onoja looked to the future. “I hope to see more young negotiators equipped with both the technical knowledge and the relentless energy required to translate these complex global agreements into tangible local action,” he said. He concluded with a powerful reminder of the human dimension at the core of the climate crisis: “Environmental conservation is, at its heart, human conservation. People must be the central focus of all our climate actions.”
The outcomes of COP30, therefore, set a new financial and implementation framework. For Nigeria and Africa, the challenge and opportunity now lie in building robust systems, securing accessible finance, and executing integrated projects that place both nature and people at the forefront of the climate response.
