Local and international stakeholders, including NGO executives, representatives of sub-national governments and private sector players, have converged on Lagos for the Green Conference 2026, aimed at deepening public and private sector collaboration for robust green economy development in Nigeria.
The three-day conference, organised by GreenPlinth Africa in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President and the National Council on Climate Change, has as its theme: “Decarbonising Africa: Pathway to Climate Finance, Sustainable Growth and Green Economy.”
At the opening session, participants stressed the urgent need for Nigeria to position itself through a deliberate and coordinated framework to harness the vast economic and environmental potential of Africa’s largely untapped green economy—especially carbon credit opportunities—in order to reduce overdependence on foreign borrowing for capital projects.
Stakeholders acknowledged that despite numerous challenges, Nigeria has recorded notable strides in addressing environmental concerns while creating opportunities within the green economy to drive sustainable growth and reduce poverty.
A major focus of the conference is the progress made on the initiative to distribute 80 million clean cookstoves to households nationwide and plant four billion trees across the country.
The project is being spearheaded by GreenPlinth Africa, a pan-African organisation based in Lagos with focus areas including decarbonisation, clean energy, afforestation and reforestation.
Delivering his welcome address and technical presentation, the Group Financial Officer and Assistant Chief Executive Officer of GreenPlinth Africa, Engineer Babatunde Aina, described the initiative as a game changer in Nigeria’s quest to build a viable green economy.
According to him, research shows that one traditional cooking session is equivalent to inhaling smoke from 600 sticks of cigarettes, a major contributor to respiratory diseases among African women and girls who are not active smokers.
To reverse the trend, he said the organisation is partnering with federal and state governments to distribute 80 million clean cookstoves and plant four billion trees to combat deforestation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Aina explained that the project has the potential to cut greenhouse gas emissions by about 1.2 billion metric tonnes and qualify Nigeria to earn at least five billion dollars annually from the global carbon credit market.
He stressed that with a well-structured governance framework and reliable data systems, Nigeria could take a leading role in energy transition across Africa.
“The green economy, if properly harnessed, can create at least three million direct jobs and up to sixteen million indirect jobs across the country,” he said, adding that carbon projects would be domiciled in all 774 local government areas.
Aina further revealed that hundreds of women in Makoko, Lagos, are already benefiting from the initiative through the use of emission-free cookstoves, alongside incentives such as a monthly stipend, free health insurance for up to eight family members and free briquettes for fuel.
Representatives of several public and private sector organisations delivered goodwill messages, outlining steps they are taking to promote sustainability and clean energy transition.
They noted that although Nigeria contributes relatively little to global emissions, it remains highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, making urgent adoption of green economy principles imperative.
The Head of Projects at the Nigerian Communications Commission, Mr. Shuaibu Swade, representing the Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the telecommunications sector stands at the intersection of connectivity and sustainability.
“As telecommunications regulator, we stand at the intersection of connectivity and sustainability. Telecommunications is the backbone of the digital economy and must also become a backbone of environmental responsibility. Our sector has a unique opportunity and obligation to reduce carbon emissions through energy-efficient infrastructure, renewable-powered base stations, smart spectrum management and digital solutions,” he stated.
A representative of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Mr. Obafemi Shitta-Bay, said Lagos State has developed a structured master plan to decarbonise its transportation sector through the gradual phase-out of diesel and petrol-powered mass transit buses by 2040.
He reiterated the state government’s readiness to partner with GreenPlinth Africa and other technical partners to maximise the economic and environmental benefits of the green economy.
Also speaking, the pioneer Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change, Dr. Salisu Dahiru, commended Lagos State for championing the green revolution and urged other states to follow suit.
He noted that Nigeria is among the first countries to enact a Climate Change Act, providing a legal framework for implementation of climate initiatives.
“Nigeria must work the talk,” he said, stressing that government commitment must be matched with practical implementation, especially in unlocking carbon credit opportunities.
The Director-General of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Dr. Joseph Onoja, praised the initiative, particularly the plan to plant four billion trees, describing it as consistent with the Foundation’s Green Recovery Nigeria programme aimed at restoring lost forest cover.
He pledged the Foundation’s support and called on Nigerians to embrace environmental stewardship.
“As a foremost conservation organisation in Nigeria, we stand firmly behind initiatives that conserve our species, landscapes and habitats. It is exciting to see the mobilisation of sub-national governments to ensure these agreements translate into action at the grassroots,” he said.
A major highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between GreenPlinth Africa and the Benue State Government for the distribution of clean cookstoves and collaboration on the agricultural green value chain.
The Managing Director of the Benue State Agricultural Development Agency, Mr. Donald Akule, said the agreement also covers recycling of agricultural waste into reusable and marketable products.
The conference also featured recognition and awards for organisations that have demonstrated strong commitment to environmental sustainability in their operations.
Participants expressed optimism that with sustained collaboration, strong governance frameworks and private sector engagement, Nigeria can unlock the enormous financial and developmental opportunities embedded in the green economy while safeguarding the environment for future generations.
Reporting By Innocent Onoh