By Tony Obiechina Abuja
The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), in partnership with the Center for African-American Research Studies (CAARS), convened the First African Conference on Climate Justice at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, 30th July 2025.
According to a statement by Maryam Maryam Umar Yusuf Head of Information & PR at RMAFC, the Conference, themed “Strategic Access, Mobilisation, and Equitable Allocation of Global Climate Funds for Vulnerable Populations,” brought together academicians, policymakers, civil society actors, traditional rulers, and international development experts.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the RMAFC Chairman, Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, the Federal Commissioner representing Kwara State, Hon. Ismail Mohammed Agaka welcomed participants to what he described as a landmark international conference on climate justice.
He said, “While RMAFC’s mandate differs from that of CAARS, both energy and climate challenges are common concerns, and our collective efforts towards solving these challenges guarantee timely and better results.”
Dr. Shehu commended CAARS for considering RMAFC a strategic partner in the global discussion around climate finance.
“The relevance of this collaboration will unfold through the thought-provoking presentations and discussions that will follow,” he stated.
The Chairman further said that global energy funding for vulnerable African populations is essential to achieving sustainable development.
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He emphasized the importance of recent constitutional reforms in Nigeria, which moved electricity from the exclusive list to the concurrent legislative list. He observed that the reform would enable subnational governments to generate and distribute power and position the nation to better access and deploy global climate funds at all levels.
He expressed confidence that the deliberations and recommendations of the conference would significantly support ongoing efforts to address national and global climate challenges.
In his keynote address, Prof. Nnamdi Nwaodu, Director General of CAARS and Chief Convener of the conference, stressed that Africa must move from the margins to the centre of global climate finance discussions. He urged participants to develop frameworks rooted in fairness, asserting that “climate justice means ensuring that vulnerable communities do not continue to suffer the most while contributing the least to climate change”.
In his words, “We are not here to rehearse the known statistics of environmental harm—we are here to act. It’s time to claim our seat at the table and design climate finance frameworks that reflect our continent’s realities.”
The conference featured rich academic and technical discussions, including presentations from renowned experts such as Prof. Ignatius Onimawo, former Vice Chancellor of Ambrose Alli University who presented a paper on addressing climate adaptation, governance, and resilience in Africa;
Arc. Steve Nwaiwu, Principal Consultant at Delish Nature & Wellness Africa who spoke on the topic “Nature, wellness, and Green Infrastructure for Urban Africa.”
HRH Eze Dr. Okechukwu Izim, a traditional ruler and Head of the Department of Political Science at Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education presented two separate papers; “Cultural Reflections on Environmental Justice” and, “Climate Policy and African Political Economy.” Dr. Nwarieji Felistas Director Center for Circular Economy Technology Education was also in attendance
A panel session moderated by civil society leaders and youth climate advocates focused on climate finance, local needs, and community resilience.
