Tinubu Approves New Leadership for National Council on Climate Change

*Endorses mandate for presidential envoy on climate action 

*Expands membership of green economy committee

Deji Elumoye and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe as the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) in interim capacity, pending the confirmation of her appointment by the NCCC Supervisory Council.
The appointment, according to a release issued yesterday by presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, is in accordance with Tinubu’s commitment to actualise Nigeria’s green industrial vision, boost investor confidence, and unlock sustainable economic value through various climate finance instrument.

The president has also approved that Maduekwe, 39, who holds a Bachelor of Law degree; a Master’s degree in Environmental Law & Policy from the University of Dundee (UK), and a Doctorate degree in Law from the University of Hull (UK), is to serve as the Co-Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Committee on National Carbon Market Activation Plan (NCMAP).

“Maduekwe has over 15 years of national and international experience in climate policy development and project implementation. She previously served as Nigeria National Coordinator, Climate Parliament.
“Climate Parliament is an international, multi-partisan network of legislators working worldwide to help solve the climate crisis and accelerate the transition to renewable energy.  She was also the legal adviser to the NCCC director-general,” the statement added.
Furthermore, the Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi Shelleng, 40, as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Finance & Stakeholder Engagement, Office of the President.

He is seconded to the NCCC Secretariat, where he will handle all matters relating to Climate Finance & Stakeholder/Donor Relations.
Tinubu has also approved that Shelleng is to assume the position of secretary of the Intergovernmental Committee on NCMAP and serve as a member of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions, as well as the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.
Shelleng, who holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has served in leading roles across multiple financial institutions, and was Head of Business Development for the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company PLC (NMRC) before his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the President.

The president has also approved the appointment of Mr. Olamide Fagbuji, 44, as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Technology and Operations, Office of the President.
 He is seconded to the NCCC Secretariat, where he will oversee the digitalisation of a new open procurement process and cross-departmental procedural optimisation initiative.

Fagbuji served as Special Assistant to the President on Economic Matters under the previous administration, and was most recently the Technical Adviser to the Director General of the NCCC on Policy Research and Strategy. He is a policy analyst and computer scientist.
“By the directive of the president, the aforementioned appointments take immediate effect. President Tinubu expects the new appointees to bring their expertise and discipline to bear in these very important assignments in pursuance of the nation’s aspiration on green industrial development and climate action for sustainable growth and national prosperity,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the president has approved the terms of reference for the pioneering Office of Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action (SPEC) in  order to bring clarity to the functions of the office within the climate and green economy ecosystem.

A statement by the Director, Information & Public Relations, Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, yesterday said following the president’s directive, the SPEC shall be country’s lead negotiator on climate-related matters, reporting directly to the President.
In addition, he will be the lead negotiator on carbon market and management initiatives on behalf of the federal government with a mandate to integrate the work of the Intergovernmental Committee on NCMAP into the climate action plans of the federal government, reporting directly to the president.
Also as part of his mandate, he will be the supervising interface between the Secretariat of the NCCC and its supervising council, which is chaired by the president.

He will also function according to the statement as: Coordinator of all climate action-related activities across Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, legislative, and sub-national entities which directly impact the president’s climate action and green economic agenda with a mandate to directly engage other nations, international organisations, and non-governmental entities to build coalitions and advance global climate goals in accordance with Nigeria’s national interest.

The focal point of the federal government’s engagement with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings, and other related international meetings on climate-related and green economic matters will also be overseen by the SPEC office.
The SPEC shall also be the coordinator of activities of all relevant Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies towards the successful fulfilment of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the secretary of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions, which is chaired by the president.

In addition, he shall be the chief diplomat and lead representative of the country on all climate-related engagements and negotiations while supervising the Energy Transition Office as well as the focal-point authority on all non-executive activities related to the operations of the NCCC with delegated authority to oversee the activities and operations of the NCCC secretariat for frequent reporting to the President in between meetings of the NCCC Supervisory Council.
The SPEC will be the Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen and the lead interface on engagements with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Environment, other critical federal institutions concerning the administration and coordination of climate-related donor finance, renewable energy finance and green industrial growth management.
The statement also revealed that the president has approved the expansion of the membership of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions (P-CAGE).
The new members of the committee are the representatives of Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas),  Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

Others are the Special Assistant to the President on Energy Transition, Ms. Yasmin Mohammed and the representative, Energy Transition Office, Mr. Somkele Awa-Kalu.

The statement said the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions will be inaugurated in July.

It added that the president emphasised diligence, dedication, and patriotism in the execution of the critical national assignment with a view to realising his administration’s agenda on climate action and green industrial growth for the long-term benefit of the Nigerian people and Africans at large.