A Call to Nigerian Ministries: Demand for a Just & Equitable Transition

The countdown to the second African Climate Summit has begun and for Nigeria, the stakes have never felt more personal. This moment is charged with both promise and pressure. Promise, because Nigeria,though blessed with abundant sunshine, a vibrant youthful population, and critical minerals like lithium and cobalt has the potential to become Africa’s green industrial powerhouse.  

Yet the reality is stark: although Nigeria contributes less than 1% of global emissions, we are drowning in climate impacts. From devastating floods in Mokwa that killed over 200 people and displaced thousands, to prolonged droughts in the North threatening food security for millions, the crisis is at our doorstep. And while the world debates “climate finance,” Nigeria receives only a fraction of what we need often in loans that deepen our already suffocating debt burden, where the country spent 4.1% of its GDP on debt servicing in 2024.  

Aligning with the September summit themed "Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development," Surge Africa through the Youth Climate Collective (YCC) spearheaded the #FundItForward campaign. Together with a coalition of 21 civil society organizations, we submitted petition letters to the  Nigerian ministers of Finance, Environment, Solid Minerals Development, Agriculture, and Power to articulate a clear, Nigerian-driven mandate. This effort transcends traditional advocacy; it is a call to renegotiate Africa’s position within the global financial order, guaranteeing a green economic transition that is both sovereign and transformative.

Why This Matters for Nigeria Now

The world is currently witnessing a global energy transition powered by critical minerals and renewable technology. These are not minor market shifts; they are profound geopolitical and economic realignments that will define global power structures for decades to come. And at the heart of this shift lies a cruel paradox: Africa, and Nigeria specifically, holds the very keys to this transition. One of the world's youngest populations, vast solar potential, and essential mineral wealth, yet the country is systemically excluded from the decision-making rooms and financial flows that will determine its outcome.

Nigeria finds itself at a crossroads. We can either become the engine of our own green industrialization, or we risk becoming a mere source of raw extraction for others’ development. The decisions made by our ministers at this summit will echo for generations, determining whether we build a sovereign economy or remain trapped in a cycle of debt and resource exploitation.

The Two Pillars of a Just Transition as Demanded in our Petition Letter 

Our call  is built on two non-negotiable pillars, both essential for a  safe Nigerian future:

1.  Scaled-Up, Justice-Based Finance: The current climate finance architecture is failing us. Receiving only 3-4% of global funds, with a pittance for adaptation, is not an oversight; it is an injustice. Our demand is for a direct and deliberate overhaul. This means pushing for grants, not debt; demanding debt cancellation to free our fiscal space; and condemning elusive carbon markets that allow polluters to offset rather than reduce emissions, often at the expense of our local communities. This is about securing the $300 billion annually Africa needs through transparent, accessible mechanisms that fund resilience from the ground up.

2.  Unapologetic Mineral Sovereignty: Our lithium, cobalt, and nickel are not mere commodities; they are the bedrock of our potential prosperity. The petition demands a definitive end to the old model of raw extraction. We must audit existing contracts, champion local processing to create Nigerian jobs, and categorically reject any agreement that barters our national treasures for loans or infrastructure. Our minerals must fuel Africa’s industrialization, not just foreign supply chains. To trade them for short-term gain is to mortgage our future once again.

A Call for Courageous, Accountable Leadership

 The petition we submitted  to the Honourable Ministers of Environment, Finance, Solid Minerals, Agriculture, and Power is a charge to carry the hopes of millions of Nigerians into that negotiation room. This petition, signed by (a number) of other civil society representatives, expects our leaders to be more than attendees at ACSII; we expect them to be architects. Architects of financial frameworks that work for us. Architects of industrial policy that prioritizes us. They must return from Addis Ababa with binding commitments, not vague promises, and a firm stance against the exploitation of our resources.