Nigeria seeks $150m UN aid over farmer-herder crisis

Nigeria will be seeking the support of the United Nations and other donor agencies to raise $150 million to mitigate devastating impact of farmer-herder clashes.

This will form the focus of Nigeria’s position at the forthcoming climate change conference in Azerbaijan later in the year.

Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Climate Change, Mr Terseer Ugbor, made this known to reporters at the weekend in Abuja.

He spoke just as some development experts raised concerns that despite the 2009 pledge of $100 billion to support global climate resilience, only a fraction of the estimated $1.3 trillion needed had been mobilised.

Ugbor, who expressed concern over the plight of over two million Nigerians displaced due to the farmers herders clashes explained that stakeholders drawn from the national Assembly, federal and states governments officials, civil societies organisations, financial and development partners had perfected plan to source the fund.

He said: “We are discussing with the global environment fund, the global climate fund under the United Nations, the Development Bank of Nigeria, the African Development Bank, with the Nigerian government.”

“We intend to take this message to the International community, to donor agencies across the world to see how they can intervene in the challenges that we are facing as a result of climate change, leading to the herders-farmers conflict.

“We have some commitments from several partners who are working directly with us and already. They’ve booked us to screen the documentary at some of the upcoming International, engagements international conferences, where most of the global donors and partners will be present.”
Meanwhile, the development experts also spoke at the opening of the ongoing 12th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDAXII) in Abidjan.

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist, Hanan Morsy, emphasised the critical shortfall in climate finance, stressing the need for urgent action in innovative financing.

She called for innovative financing solutions that would not exacerbate Africa’s debt burden, and leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to channel investments into adaptation efforts.

Director of Climate Change and Green Growth at the African Development Bank (AfDB), Antony Nyong, highlighted the need for recognition and compensation for Africa’s significant contributions to global mitigation efforts.

He said: “Our priority must be fostering climate-resilient development while balancing adaptation with climate-informed investments.”