Vice President Kashim Shettima on Sunday returned to Abuja after leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, where the country reaffirmed its frontline position in global climate action and its commitment to a green transition.
The return of Vice President Shettima was announced by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha.
Shettima joined world leaders, development partners and top industry executives at the Leaders’ Climate Summit hosted by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
He represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the high-level meeting and delivered Nigeria’s statement titled “The Rational Soul of Nature.”
In his address, the Vice President urged the international community to recognise the economic value of nature and adopt “predictable, equitable, and accessible” funding mechanisms to protect and restore ecosystems.
He stressed that Nigeria’s renewed climate agenda is anchored on “a solemn national commitment to preserve the planet for future generations,” not mere ambition.
Nigeria has positioned itself as a regional climate leader at the summit, with Shettima spotlighting the nation’s green transition roadmap and efforts toward cutting emissions while expanding opportunities in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and environmental conservation.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Vice President held a series of bilateral negotiations on carbon-market cooperation, with discussions focused on unlocking between $2.5 billion and $3 billion annually over the next decade.
The potential financing is targeted at accelerating Nigeria’s transition to a low-carbon economy and supporting climate-resilient development.
