Initiator/Sponsor of the Climate Change Bill that was passed to become the Nigerian Climate Change Act of 2021, Hon. Sam Ifeanyichukwu Onuigbo, has stated that there is a nexus between the Act and education in Nigeria and explained why.
Hon. Onuigbo, a former two-term member of the House of Representatives for Ikwuano/Umuahia Constituency in Abia State until 2023, explained it in the paper titled “Climate Change Act and Its Nexus with Education in Nigeria,” which he presented at the 2025 Conference of Deans of Education in Nigerian Universities (CODENU), hosted by the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
Onuigbo was also the Guest of Honour at the conference themed “Revolutionising Teacher Education in Nigeria: Leveraging 21st Century Methodologies, Artificial Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, and Inclusive Education for Sustainable Development.”
He said, “The Climate Change Act (CCA) of 2021 marks not only a legislative milestone but also a critical opportunity to integrate consciousness into Nigeria’s educational systems.”
He posited that by embedding environmental sustainability into curricular and public awareness initiatives, Nigeria can foster a more informed and proactive citizenry capable of driving lasting solutions for a more resilient and sustainable future.
According to Hon. Onuigbo, who is the current South-East representative on the North East Development Commission (NEDC) Board and Chairman of its Committee on Security, Climate Change, and Special Interventions, “the Act establishes institutional frameworks, enhances capacity-building, and promotes multi-sectoral collaboration, thereby presenting an unprecedented opportunity to integrate climate change education as a central pillar within Nigeria’s education landscape.”
Noting that the Act specifically mandates the National Council on Climate Change to coordinate climate action across ministries, including Education, Hon. Onuigbo stated that this mandate implies that curriculum planners, education policymakers, and school administrators now have a legal and moral obligation to integrate climate change into school syllabi, teacher training, research priorities, and institutional strategies.
Onuigbo consequently urged Nigerian Deans of Education to collaborate closely with school authorities, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and the National Council on Climate Change to fast-track the implementation of Section 26 of the Act to develop a concrete action plan that should define clear strategies to integrate climate change education across all levels of education in the country and thus prepare future generations to tackle environmental challenges.
Section 26 of the Act specifically mandates the establishment of educational curricula that incorporate climate change topics within various disciplines, which Hon. Onuigbo underscored as crucial in shaping an informed citizenry capable of understanding and addressing climate-related issues, as Nigeria is highly vulnerable to climate impacts such as flooding, desertification, agricultural disruption, and climate-induced refugees, among others.
Speaking during the opening session, the Conference Chief Host and MOUAU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, underscored the rationale for universities of agriculture to undertake the training of students in agricultural education, noting that there are currently only six universities of agriculture in the country—three in the North and three in the South.
Also, the Chairman of CODENU (the Conferees), Professor Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, who is also the MOUAU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), in her address, described the conference/gathering as one that is not merely a routine convergence of academic leaders.
“It is a strategic conclave of minds united by a shared mission to critically interrogate, innovate, and reposition education in Nigeria as a transformative force for sustainable national development.”
According to her, since education in this 21st Century has become the most strategic national asset—whose reach is vast and impacts economic performance, technological advancement, civic engagement, and societal cohesion—“the global knowledge economy demands we re-examine what we teach, how we teach, and the environments in which learning occurs.”
Similarly, the Chairman of the Conference Local Organizing Committee (LOC), Professor Rose Ngozi Uzoka, who is the Dean of the host MOUAU College of Education, described the conference theme as timely, comprehensive, and relevant, suggesting the need for transformative change in teacher education to equip teachers with the skills, knowledge, and competencies required to meet 21st-century demands.
Positing that this suggests the need for teacher education reform in Nigeria, the LOC Head (Prof. Uzoka) added that the conference also provided an avenue for stakeholders in education to explore innovative approaches, share best practices, and collaborate to enhance teacher education toward contributing to sustainable development in Nigeria.
In a paper on *”Teacher Professional Development in the 21st Century: Leveraging Technology and Innovation on Pedagogies,”* the Executive Chairman of the Abia State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Lydia Onuoha, noted that the development of digital technology has changed many aspects of life and that in this digital era, teachers are required to not only understand the learning material but also be able to integrate technology in the teaching process.
Noting, however, that many teachers still face challenges in blending technology with effective pedagogy, mainly due to limitations in adequate professional development, she opined that the way forward should be for “institutions, organisations, and governments to wake up to embrace technology as an integral part of teacher professional development. As part of these efforts, attention should be on…”
