Political Economy of Net Zero: Nigeria

The briefing outlines a pathway for Nigeria to reach net-zero emissions by 2060, emphasizing the need to move away from oil dependency through Public-Private Community Partnerships (PPCP). It identifies critical opportunities in waste management, clean energy access, and the AFOLU sector, while proposing the use of debt-for-climate swaps to fund the USD 410 billion Energy Transition Plan. The authors argue that systemic transformation requires engaging key government stakeholders, such as the Office of the Vice-President, and supporting local cleantech entrepreneurship to create green jobs.

• Nigeria aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2050 and achieve net-zero by 2060. Its Updated NDC includes an unconditional pledge to cut emissions by 20% by 2030, with a conditional target of 47% reductions if international support is provided.
• The Nigerian economy is heavily dependent on the petroleum sector, which accounted for approximately 10% of GDP, 86% of foreign exchange earnings, and 31% of projected budget revenue for 2022.
• The waste sector contributes about 9% of Nigeria's total GHG emissions. The document proposes transitioning the government from a waste operator to a regulatory role through Public-Private Community Partnerships (PPCP), citing a 2021 model in Kano state that could create 4,300 jobs.
• Energy access is a critical challenge, with approximately 45% of Nigerians lacking access to affordable and clean electricity. The government's 'Vision 30:30:30' platform aims for 30GW of electricity by 2030, with 30% coming from renewable energy.
• The Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector is responsible for 25% of Nigeria's GHG emissions and is the country's highest employer of labour, though it faces challenges from land tenure issues and climate vulnerability.
• Nigeria is leading the Debt-for-Climate Swap campaign to unlock resources for its USD 410 billion Energy Transition Plan (ETP), which includes using natural gas as a transition fuel.
• Systemic transformation requires engaging key political levers, specifically the Office of the Vice-President (OVP), which oversees the National Economic Council, Economic Management Team, National Council on Privatization, and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council.

APA

Ijeoma, I., & Agbo, C. (n.d.). Political Economy of Net Zero: Nigeria. Climate Strategies. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CS_Briefing-notes_Nigeria-09-09.pdf

Chicago

Ijeoma, Igwebuike, and Chinonso Agbo. Political Economy of Net Zero: Nigeria. Climate Strategies, n.d. https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CS_Briefing-notes_Nigeria-09-09.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ijeoma |first1=Igwebuike |last2=Agbo |first2=Chinonso |title=Political Economy of Net Zero: Nigeria |publisher=Climate Strategies |url=https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CS_Briefing-notes_Nigeria-09-09.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ijeomandpolitical, author = {Ijeoma, Igwebuike and Agbo, Chinonso}, title = {{Political Economy of Net Zero: Nigeria}}, institution = {Climate Strategies}, url = {https://climatestrategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/CS_Briefing-notes_Nigeria-09-09.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }