By Jabiru Hassan, Kano
The Director General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s leadership role in tackling the climate crisis across Africa and beyond. Speaking at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa, Buba highlighted Nigeria’s deliberate efforts to combat climate change, focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding renewable energy, and promoting reforestation.
Representing Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, at a climate change session during the meeting, Buba emphasized that these initiatives are part of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) aimed at advancing climate resilience globally. He urged other nations to follow Nigeria’s example in addressing the climate crisis.
Buba stressed Nigeria’s commitment to climate action in alignment with international agreements, including the Paris Agreement and the Commonwealth Blue Charter. He pointed out the importance of collective action, particularly in supporting vulnerable nations like Samoa and other small island and developing states.
The NTAC DG also underscored the impactful contributions of Nigerian professionals deployed under the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Scheme. These volunteers support environmental conservation, renewable energy projects, and disaster management in African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries. Buba highlighted innovative practices, such as using banana peels for paint production and promoting eco-friendly farming and waste management, as key examples of Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.
In his address, Buba called for global unity in addressing climate change, urging nations to share resources, provide financial support, and offer technical assistance to countries most affected by climate-related disasters. He also stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships between governments and the private sector to enhance climate adaptation projects, citing Nigeria’s efforts in involving private entities in clean energy and sustainable agriculture.
Buba also reiterated Nigeria’s success in combating desertification and expressed the country’s readiness to collaborate with other Commonwealth nations to share expertise and knowledge on climate adaptation.
The high-level meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in Samoa gathered leaders and representatives from Commonwealth nations to explore collaborative solutions to the climate crisis. The event also provided an opportunity for Buba to network with officials from Pacific nations, such as Vanuatu and Fiji, who have benefited from Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps Scheme.
