The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental protection by launching its Net-Zero Investment Plan in Abuja yesterday.
 
The plan, a comprehensive strategy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060 and to foster sustainable economic growth, was launched by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, in the presence of the Head of International Cooperation at the German Embassy, Dr Karin Jansen.
 
The event also attracted senior government officials, development partners, and private-sector stakeholders.
 
“We are here to emphasise that Nigeria is not reluctant to commit to initiatives that may affect the private sector, which seeks financing for various projects,” he said, acknowledging the support of international partners, particularly Germany, GIZ, and KfW.
 
The minister stated that Nigeria was firmly committed to environmental protection, economic growth, and private-sector engagement.
 
He highlighted recent engagements with the German delegation, including agreements to mobilise long-term financing and to leverage €71 million in contributions, alongside a €300 million credit guarantee, underscoring the importance of strategic, sustainable funding for Nigeria’s climate and development ambitions.
 
Bagudu also contextualised Nigeria’s environmental and economic priorities within the country’s constitutional framework, noting that Section 20 mandates the state to protect and improve the environment, while Section 13 places responsibility on all organs of government for upholding these objectives.
 
“Nigeria’s Agenda 2050 recognises that environmental management and sustainability are integral to national planning, not tangential,” he said, emphasising the integration of climate responsibility into long-term development planning.
 
He reflected on lessons from past environmental challenges, including resource-related damage in Ogoniland, and noted that Nigeria has now developed the regulatory frameworks, technology, and knowledge to ensure sustainable resource and agricultural development.
 
The minister highlighted initiatives such as solar-powered agricultural pumps and modernised agricultural practices that balance profitability with environmental responsibility, while underscoring opportunities to scale up net-zero-emission technologies across sectors, including energy and agriculture.
 
Bagudu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to enabling the private sector to mobilise resources responsibly. “Some of our budget reforms are deliberately aimed at de-risking investments to ensure competitiveness. Each country must tailor programmes to its unique economic and environmental circumstances without harming private-sector growth,” he said.

He outlined the government’s goal of building a $1 trillion economy that is inclusive, environmentally responsible, and profitable, and emphasised that partnerships with GIZ, KfW, and experts, including Dr Karin Jansen, make this achievable.