General
African Leaders Backs Action to Address Climate Change
By Dipo Olowookere
African Heads of State and Government marked Africa Day in the Africa Pavilion at the UNFCCC 22nd Conference of Parties (COP22) on Friday with focused and strategic discussion on the ratification and roll out of the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the key continental initiatives to support member states’ efforts.
President Alpha Condé of the Republic of Guinea presided over the High Level gathering also attended by the Presidents of Botswana, Mr Ian Khama; Liberia, Ms Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; Togo, Mr Faure Gnassingbe, Ministers from the continent, heads of Pan African Institutions; the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Africa, NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency and; development partners.
The Africa Day event had the dual themes of “Moving from Commitment to Action with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)” and “The Africa Renewable Energy Initiative: Moving Forward.”
As Climate Change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world, with Africa already experiencing some of the most severe impacts, the continent’s leaders have proactively responded with the establishment of the Committee of Africa Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) and the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) on Climate that have thus far, tremendously influenced global negotiations.
Presence of heads of state at COP22 and the Africa Day event further demonstrated the importance placed on securing the continent’s interests within the global climate governance mechanism and in defining the roadmap to reduce global temperature rise to ‘well below’ 2oC goal, considered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as the threshold for averting dangerous changes to the climate system.
COP21 in Paris in December 2015, delivered the landmark Paris Agreement in which the Intended NDCs emerged as the game changer and primary mechanism for reducing global temperature rise. To date 46 African countries have signed the Paris Agreement and 27 out of 103 countries have ratified the Agreement that entered into force on 4th November, 2016.
Africa has seized the opportunity of COP22, dubbed the action COP, to demonstrate leadership in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, through the NDCs and in ensuring that the means of implementation, namely finance, capacity building, technology development and transfer – the cornerstones of implementation- are provided.
Beyond COP22 a critical issues is the alignment of NDCs with existing national development priorities and initiatives. Implementation will be enhanced and supported by pan- African initiatives and programmes operating through a range of partnerships, two of which are: The African Adaptation Initiative (AAI) and; the African Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI). The latter, supported by the governments of France and Germany, seeks to achieve at least 300 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2020.
Emphasising the importance of energy access, President Condé noted that out of 1 billion Africans 700 million have no access to energy. “Since 2002, we have fought to ensure that production is accelerated and increased,’’ further expressing satisfaction at the funding for AREI as an indicator that Europe is taking steps to deliver on commitments for implementation.
President Konde said that Africa needs to develop on the basis of an energy mix “but we also need to develop fast, and the faster Africa has access to energy the faster Africa will develop”, he said.
AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina said energy is the engine of Africa’s growth and development and reinforced the need for an energy mix of on and off-grid systems. “Let’s turn pledges on paper into projects on the ground. Let us together deliver success for Africa. Let us together light up and power Africa!” he urged.
“All these initiatives fit very well into our African Union Agenda 2063 where we want to have a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and commits Africa to pursue a sustainable development path where climate resilient programs play a major role while we protect our environment through renewable energy”, said Chairperson of the Africa Union Commission (AUC), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, in a statement read on her behalf by Dr Elham Mahmoud Ahmed, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, AU Commission.
Mr Abdalla Hamdok, ECA Executive Secretary a.i, emphasised the importance of aligning Africa’s climate change initiatives with sustainable development noting that “The impacts of climate change in Africa are increasing in complexity resulting in new and emerging threats to lives and livelihoods, catalysing new migration dynamics, disasters and conflict and lost economic opportunities.”
Egypt’s Minister of Environment and President of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN), Mohammed Fahmy, also welcomed the initiatives and encouraged good governance and transparency as the foundation of implementation.
COP21 and 22 Presidents, Segolène Royal of France and Salaheddine Mezouar of Morocco, also participated in the event. ‘This is an African COP, the biggest economies must fulfil their commitments to Africa’, said Ms Royal.
Mezouar, COP22 President said ‘Africa must and will electrify at the lowest cost’, and that the COP 22 roadmap should “respond to the issues of financing, access to electricity and capacity building to increase the success of projects….” Further emphasizing that it was time to put an end to clichés about African countries’ ability to carry out projects.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has clarified that the crude oil vessel, MV Skipper, intercepted by the United States Coast Guard, in collaboration with the US Navy for its alleged involvement in crude oil theft and other transnational crimes is not registered in Nigeria.
NIMASA said the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) SKIPPER with IMO Number 9304667 is not a Nigerian-flagged vessel, and its purported owners, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, are not registered with NIMASA as a shipping company.
An analysis of the vessel’s movement carried out NIMASA through its Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) Centre showed that the facility was last sighted on Nigerian waters on July 1, 2024.
“After departing Nigerian waters, the vessel continued on its international voyage pattern and was tracked operating in the Arabian Sea (Asia) and later in the Caribbean region, where the US interdiction eventually took place.
“Records indicate that SKIPPER, which was formerly owned by Triton Navigation Corp, has undergone multiple name changes over time.
The Director General of NIMASA, Mr Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders, including US authorities, in the ongoing investigations, noting that in a statement that criminality will not be tolerated on Nigerian waters.
Last week, US forces seized an oil tanker carrying a Panama flag believed to be the VLCC Skipper, after satellite imagery showed the vessel secretly loading over 1.8 million barrels of sanctioned Merey crude at Venezuela’s José Terminal.
The vessel had been transmitting falsified AIS positions during the operation, a tactic increasingly used by “dark fleet” tankers tied to Venezuelan and Iranian trades. It was later revealed that the seized tanker Skipper, was carrying crude contracted by Cubametales, Cuba’s state-run oil trading firm.
The seizure of the sanctioned oil tanker has sharply escalated tensions between the US and Venezuela. The US government also said it is preparing to intercept more ships transporting Venezuelan oil.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, “to immediately enforce the judgment compelling and directing him and president Bola Tinubu to widely publish the names of those indicted in the alleged misappropriation of N6 trillion meant to implement the abandoned 13,777 projects and in the running of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) between 2000 and 2019.”
The judgment was delivered on Monday, November 10, 2025, by Justice Gladys Olotu following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1360/2021 brought by SERAP.
The court also ordered Mr Fagbemi and the president “to publish and make available to the public the NDDC forensic audit report submitted to the federal government on September 2, 2021.”
In the letter dated December 13, 2025 and signed by SERAP deputy director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The continuing failure and/or refusal to publicly acknowledge the judgment and immediately enforce it makes a mockery of the country’s legal and judicial processes and the rule of law.”
It warned that the ongoing failure and/or refusal to enforce the judgment is a fundamental breach of both the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution and a direct assault on the rule of law.
“Obeying the judgment would reinforce the primacy of the Nigerian Constitution, and the country’s international obligations and show respect for the rule of law.
“The Attorney General is the Chief Law Officer of the Federation and as such has the responsibility to uphold the Nigerian Constitution, advise the government to ensure that its actions conform with judicial decisions, obey the rule of law and generally act in the public interest,” it disclosed.
The group noted that, “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider pursuing contempt proceedings against you to compel you to uphold the Nigerian Constitution and the rule of law.”
“SERAP notes the recent public commitments by President Tinubu to ‘improve the welfare of the Niger Delta region and address the challenges facing the region.’ Immediately enforcing the NDDC judgment would ensure the fulfilment of these commitments,” it concluded.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) recently hosted a high-level delegation from Newryton International Industrial Development Company Limited, a leading Chinese investment and industrial development consortium, to advance discussions on deepening bilateral trade, industrial cooperation, and development financing between both countries.
The Newryton delegation, led by Mr David Chen, Assistant Secretary-General of the China Hainan Investment Council, had earlier engaged with the Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). They were accompanied to the NCSP by Mr Joe Onyuike, Vice-Chairman of NACCIMA’s Agriculture and Livestock Trade Group, who conveyed NACCIMA’s support for the delegation’s engagements.
Discussions centered on the establishment of a Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform, including a proposed Promotion Centre in China to support Nigerian products, investors, and state governments.
The consortium also presented opportunities within Hainan Province’s Free Trade Port (FTP), which offers preferential policies that Nigerian businesses can leverage to expand exports and attract new investments.
In his address on behalf of Newryton, Mr Pong outlined plans to collaborate with NCSP in accessing FOCAC-supported financing for strategic investments in agriculture, energy, mining, solid minerals processing, and related sectors. The delegation identified aquaculture as a key area of interest and referenced the forthcoming Global Aquaculture Conference in Hainan Province, encouraging Nigerian stakeholders to participate.
They also expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation in vocational training and employment under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Director-General, Martins Olajide, NCSP’s Head of Internal Operations, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.
He highlighted NCSP’s strong interest in the proposed Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform and the development of the Nigerian Oil Palm Industrial Park as a flagship demonstration project.
Also speaking at the meeting, Ms Judy Melifonwu, NCSP’s Head of International Relations, underscored the opportunities presented by China’s zero-tariff policy and the forthcoming NAQS–GACC protocol on the export of Nigerian aquaculture products. She noted that these frameworks would significantly enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in emerging global markets.
Both parties expressed commitment to advancing discussions toward a structured cooperation framework covering all priority areas.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking7 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn