The United Kingdom Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) has unveiled an initiative to boost private sector capacity for climate and clean-air action in Nigeria.
The initiative, tagged: “Transport Climate Action: Boosting Business Leadership for Clean Air in Nigeria,” was unveiled in Abuja recently.
It seeks to reduce carbon emissions and accelerate low carbon, inclusive economic growth, with a strong focus on the transport sector.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Ibrahim A. Shelleng, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance and Stakeholder Engagement, said Nigeria’s climate ambitions could not be achieved without an empowered private sector. He said aligning private sector strategies with Nigeria’s national climate commitments would help reduce emissions, improve air quality and ensure competitiveness in a global economy increasingly driven by sustainability.
“Our industries, SMEs, financiers, manufacturers, agribusinesses, logistics companies and technology innovators have a central role in driving the transition to a cleaner, healthier and more resilient economy,” he said.
“This platform deepens understanding, builds capacity, shares practical tools and strengthens collaboration.
“It allows us to explore priority areas such as integrating climate-smart business practices, adopting clean-energy technologies and accessing climate finance, including carbon markets, green bonds and blended-finance instruments,” he said.
He also noted that climate change is already affecting lives and livelihoods across the country through flooding, extreme heat and worsening air quality in major cities.
He cited extreme heat in the north, flooding in coastal states and worsening air quality in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.
In his remarks, Dr Emmanuel Onwodi, Project Lead, Escher Silverman Global Air Pollution, said the intervention was driven by the rising burden of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
He said GHG was one of Nigeria’s most urgent economic and public health concerns, noting that more than 200,000 premature deaths occur annually due to poor air quality.
According to Onwodi, businesses are both victims and contributors to the crisis.
“The transport sector accounts for over 15 per cent of Nigeria’s greenhouse gas emissions but is ill-equipped to address the issues, including limited technical expertise, unclear regulatory pathways and restricted access to finance for clean technologies,” he said.
Gari Haq, Consortium Lead at the University of York, said the UK PACT project would tackle existing gaps by equipping private enterprises with training, tools and policy support for low-carbon operations.
He outlined UK PACT as a flagship UK government programme supporting partner countries to cut carbon emissions and drive inclusive growth.
Haq said the 15-month project would help businesses access climate finance and participate in voluntary carbon markets.
“It will also support the development of finance-ready Climate and Clean Air Action Plans, promote emissions-reducing practices aligned with Nigeria’s NDC 3.0 targets, and build understanding of regulatory frameworks such as the National Climate Change Fund.
“The project will also strengthen collaboration between private companies, regulators and financial institutions, and integrate Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion considerations into climate action,” he added.
The initiative is being delivered in partnership with Consulting Engineers Group (CEG) and the SLOCAT Partnership on Sustainable, Low-Carbon Transport, alongside Nigerian partners Escher Silverman Global (ESG) and AP3 Advisory.
The event brought together businesses, policymakers, regulators, financial institutions and civil society groups.
