…Environment Ministry Harps on Mainstream Gender Considerations Into Nigeria’s Climate Policies
By Hillary Asemota/Seun Adams
The Women Environmental Programme (WEP), collaborating with the Ministries of Environment and Women Affairs have raised concerns over gaps in the implementation of Nigeria’s National Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change (NAPGCC).
They called for stronger coordination, dedicated funding and concrete measures to make climate action more gender-responsive.
They made the call in Abuja on Thursday at the launch of an assessment report on the implementation of the 2021–2025 NAPGCC, organised by WEP in collaboration with the Department of Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment.
Founder and Global Lead of WEP, Dr. Priscilla Achakpa, said the assessment, conducted across 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) exposed significant weaknesses, including poor awareness among relevant institutions, weak coordination between gender and climate actors and the absence of dedicated public funding for the plan.
Achakpa, said the findings should not be interpreted as a failure of the NAPGCC, but as a wake-up call for government and stakeholders to strengthen Nigeria’s climate response as the country moves to implement its third Nationally Determined Contribution, NDC 3.0.
She called for the development of a stronger and adequately funded NAPGCC 2.0, with dedicated budget lines, a properly resourced secretariat, improved inter-agency coordination and increased access to gender-responsive climate finance.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr. Salihu Aminu Usman, said the effects of climate change were already being felt across communities through rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, flooding, biodiversity loss and declining livelihoods.
Usman, noted that women and children remained among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, stressing the need to mainstream gender considerations into Nigeria’s climate policies and programmes.
He said Nigeria’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and NDC 3.0 presented an opportunity to deepen the integration of gender considerations into national climate action.
The Minister of Women Affairs, in her remarks, said women and girls, particularly those living in rural and climate-vulnerable communities, often bear a disproportionate burden of climate change but should not be treated merely as victims.
According to the Minister, women are critical agents of resilience, adaptation and transformation, making it necessary to expand their access to climate finance, technology, information, education, skills and decision-making platforms.
She urged stakeholders to translate the assessment findings into concrete policies, programmes and investments, stressing that the report launch should mark “the beginning of a renewed commitment to action.”
The stakeholders subsequently called for stronger collaboration among government, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and communities to ensure gender equality becomes a central pillar of Nigeria’s climate response and women and girls are empowered to lead climate solutions.