A delegation from the US state of California has visited the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) in Abuja to deepen climate and economic ties.
The 40-member team, made up of government officials, business leaders and academics, was led by Adetokunbo Omishakin, California’s secretary of transportation.
Tenioye Majekodunmi, NCCC director-general (DG), said the partnership is timely, given Nigeria’s growing energy demands and population of over 230 million.
“Your mission to Nigeria couldn’t have come at a better time,” Majekodunmi said.
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“Our huge consumer base and workforce can serve as a catalyst for investment opportunities that drive sustainable economic growth.”
Majekodunmi listed climate change mitigation, technology, and industrial trade as key areas of collaboration, assuring the visitors of the council’s full support.
She also highlighted milestones achieved by the council since its creation in 2021, including Nigeria’s first biennial transparency report, the draft of its updated climate pledge under the Paris Agreement, and the design of a national climate change fund.
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Majekodunmi, who assumed office as DG of the NCCC on August 6, said the partnership would help Nigeria fast-track President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda through technology transfer, peer-to-peer learning, and green growth initiatives.
On his part, Omishakin said the visit was about expanding economic opportunities while tackling climate change.
He noted that California is open to sharing expertise with Nigeria, noting that both sides can exchange ideas to drive economic growth while advancing their climate change agenda.
“California has been providing global leadership on environmental issues for the last 50 years,” Omishakin said.
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Discussions during the session covered climate-smart agriculture, plastic recycling, methane reduction, and carbon markets as tools to unlock investment.
Members of the delegation included Dilpreet Sidhu, deputy mayor of international affairs for Los Angeles; representatives of the California Energy Commission and the University of California, Davis; and executives from firms such as Autodesk, SynBioBeta and MEBO.
