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The European Union delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS reiterated its commitment on Wednesday to support Nigeria’s sustainable development in areas such as climate-smart agriculture and digitisation, among others.
The Head of the EU delegation, Massimo De Luca, made this known in a statement issued by the EU in Abuja. The statement, titled “EU launches Climate Month with impactful events,” highlighted that as part of efforts to foster sustainability through climate action, the European Union would be embarking on a series of events to mark its Climate Month, just ahead of COP29, which will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, next month.
The EU Climate Month, with the theme “Opportunities for Growing Green Together,” features a series of impactful events aimed at highlighting the importance of collaboration between the EU, Nigeria, and other key stakeholders in promoting sustainable development.
The statement said, “The EU Global Gateway is an EU strategy to invest in sustainable infrastructure projects worldwide. In Nigeria, the initiative focuses on sectors such as energy, transport, digitalisation, agriculture/climate-smart value chains, as well as health and education.”
Highlights of the EU Climate Month include the Green Bond Stakeholder Dialogue, the EU-Nigeria Climate and Energy Dialogue, the training of Nigeria’s Climate Negotiators for COP29, Nigeria’s Methane Emissions Reduction Programme (featuring a special workshop on emissions from the oil and gas sector), the launch of the Nigeria Energy Support Programme III and Get Invest programmes in the renewable energy sector, and an event on sustainable aviation fuel.
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“The support for the Sustainable Aviation Fuel programme will focus on decarbonising the aviation sector by promoting the use of plant-based biofuels instead of conventional crude oil-derived fuels. This event is part of a broader EU multi-country intervention, for which Nigeria was prioritised.”
The statement also noted that on 10th October, senior representatives of European investors and Nigerian public and private entities, either already active or about to enter the green bond market, gathered in Abuja to deepen their understanding of opportunities in the Nigerian market ahead of the imminent launch of the EU’s Global Green Bonds Initiative, which is anticipated to spur green investments of “up to €15-20 billion.”
Speaking about the events, Massimo De Luca, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said, “EU Climate Month reflects our deep commitment to driving sustainable solutions in partnership with Nigeria. Each event provides an opportunity not only to share knowledge and best practices but also to inspire innovation in tackling climate challenges. Our goal is to foster lasting, impactful change through collaboration, empowering both Nigeria and the EU to grow green together.”
He further added, “This initiative is part of the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy, which focuses on investing in sustainable infrastructure globally. Through these efforts, we aim to support green growth, particularly in key sectors like energy, climate-smart agriculture, and digitalisation, contributing to Nigeria’s sustainable development goals.”
The statement also noted that the training of Nigeria’s climate negotiators for COP29 aims to enhance the knowledge and negotiation skills of climate leaders and advocates.
