Nigeria is positioning itself to unlock climate finance and accelerate sustainable development by aligning food systems transformation with climate action, the Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, has said.
Speaking at the opening of the Nigeria Convergence Initiative Workshop in Abuja, themed "Bringing Together Stakeholders to Advance the Alignment Between Food Systems Transformation and Climate Action, Empowering National Efforts to Achieve the SDGs and Paris Climate Agreement Targets," Uzoka-Anite said the Federal Government was strengthening coordinated action to build inclusive, equitable and resilient food systems.
According to a statement by Julie Osagie-Jacobs, Director of Information and Public Relations, she said the initiative would enhance Nigeria's access to climate finance through green bonds, carbon markets and other sustainable financing instruments, while supporting the Renewed Hope Agenda's priorities of food security, poverty reduction and climate resilience.
According to the minister, key government initiatives, including the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, the Green Imperative Project and ongoing reforms in fertiliser and input delivery, are aimed at boosting agricultural productivity while protecting the environment.
Uzoka-Anite also assured stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning would continue to provide policy direction and ensure that the outcomes of the dialogue are reflected in the successor National Development Plan and future engagements with development partners on climate financing.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, described climate change as one of the major drivers of food insecurity in Nigeria, noting that it disproportionately affects both smallholder and commercial farmers.
He disclosed that the ministry had introduced the National Farmer Soil Health Team and the National Soil Information System to enable farmers assess soil health and adopt location-specific fertiliser recommendations to improve productivity.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, represented by the Director-General of the Biotechnology Development Agency, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, stressed the need for collaboration among government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and farmers to transform the country's food systems through science and innovation.
He urged stakeholders to commercialise research outcomes and align food systems with Nigeria's climate goals to deliver sustainable livelihoods and economic growth.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Deborah O.N. Odoh, represented by the Director of Nutrition, Dr. Clementina Okoro, called for stronger integration of climate-smart agriculture into national planning. She said coordinated action, private sector investment and practical solutions were essential to reducing food inflation, creating jobs and building a resilient economy.
The Deputy Director of the United Nations Food Systems Coordination Hub, Ms. Lara Blanco Rothe, commended Nigeria's efforts to integrate climate action with food systems transformation, noting that the country is the 22nd nation to join the global Convergence Initiative.
She reaffirmed the UN's commitment to supporting Nigeria through stronger policy coordination, stakeholder collaboration and locally driven solutions that benefit women, youths and rural communities.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Hon. Chike Okafor, called for urgent legislative reforms to strengthen climate-smart agriculture and food security, warning that climate change poses a growing threat to agricultural productivity and national development.
He stressed the need for increased investment, stronger oversight and constituency-based interventions, noting that an estimated 25 million Nigerians could face acute food insecurity in 2026 if urgent action is not taken.