Support
Five countries, comprising Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Türkiye and Australia, have sought Nigeria’s support to make climate finance more accessible, predictable and effective.
The countries under the aegis of MIKTA, coined from the first letter of their names, made this known at their envoys’ meeting hosted by the Turkish Embassy in Abuja.
The MIKTA member state ambassadors said Nigeria needed about 330 billion dollars to implement its climate commitments from 2026 to 2035.
According to them, Nigeria’s voice and financial support will carry weight in building a broad coalition for finance reform.
Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mehmet Poray, said COP31 would be an implementation event, adding that implementation and finance would be Türkiye’s two priorities at the summit.
He said the challenge was turning commitments into concrete projects, investments and measurable results.
He said Africa must be at the heart of climate efforts, noting Nigeria’s role as a major economy.
The envoy said climate finance should support energy systems, food security, resilience and green industries.
He disclosed that Türkiye’s Climate Implementation Bridge initiative aimed to link NDCs with investable projects.
Poroy added that said the initiative would not create a new fund but bridge gaps to ready projects.
Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs Leila Yuda, said COP31 was about “turning ambition into practical outcomes.”
She said Australia was working closely with Türkiye to deliver COP31 and ensure Pacific voices were heard.
Yuda said climate change was not abstract for small island communities, citing her experience in Torres Strait.
She said Australia was championing improved access to climate finance for Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries.
The envoy said access to climate finance statement and action plan was earlier launched at the Pre-COP in Fiji on October 8.
According to her, accessing climate finance remains difficult due to complex applications, fragmented systems and delays.
She said the action plan focused on simpler processes, private capital mobilisation and stronger national capacity.
Yuda said Nigeria’s voice would carry weight in building a broad coalition for finance reform.
Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Zeki Gümrükçü, said climate and development must advance together.
Gümrükçü said Indonesia needed about 472.6 billion dollars to achieve its climate targets through 2030.
He said its annual needs were 14.5 billion dollars against a budget allocation of 4.42 billion dollars.
The envoy said Indonesia had raised 6.6 billion dollars through sovereign Green Sukuk by July 2024.
He appealed for the delivery of existing pledges under the New Collective Quantified Goal of 300 billion dollars annually.
Gümrükçü listed project preparation support, blue finance and ocean action as being among the priorities for COP31.
South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Jeong Gwan, said his country targeted to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Jeong said Korea aimed to cut emissions by 53 to 61 per cent by 2035 from 2018 levels.
He said Nigeria needed about 330 billion dollars to implement its climate commitments from 2026 to 2035.
The South Korean envoy said his was supporting green jobs for youths in agriculture with KOICA and FAO from 2026 to 2030.
He highlighted domestic resources, private investment and stable environment as key to climate finance.
The Charge d’Affaires of Mexico, Mr Jose Flores, said finance must translate into renewable energy projects.
Flores cited Mexico’s sustainable taxonomy and SDG-linked sovereign bonds as useful tools to guide financing.
He said clear criteria would reduce greenwashing and boost investor confidence.
According to him, the high cost of capital, risk perception and poor project preparation remain barriers to investment.
Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Legesse Haile, said Africa contributed marginally to emissions but faced disproportionate vulnerabilities.
He said direct, predictable grant-based financing and technology transfer were absolute necessities.
The envoy said Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative proved that green goals and adaptation were achievable.
He said Ethiopia would host COP32 to anchor global climate agenda around Africa’s priorities.
The Director-General of National Council on Climate Change, Mrs Omotenioye Majekodunmi, said Nigeria was moving from pledges to performance.
Majekodunmi, represented by Mrs Jummai Vandu, commended MIKTA’s commitment to cross-regional dialogue.
She said Nigeria aligned with COP31’s focus on closing the implementation gap.
Majekodunmi listed adaptation finance, decentralisation, gender inclusion and just transition as Nigeria’s four pillars.
She said national climate plans must become bankable project pipelines, especially at subnational levels.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised ahead of the 2026 Climate Change Summit (COP31) holding from Nov. 9 to Nov. 20 in Antalya, Türkiye.
It was held under the framework of Türkiye’s COP31 Presidency and Australia’s Presidency of Negotiations to also enable them to exchange views on MIKTA priorities.
Diplomats, government officials and climate stakeholders attended the dialogue.(NAN)
