General
Stakeholders Want Concrete Actions on Climate
By Dipo Olowookere
A need to come up with concrete actions on climate was emphasised at the second edition of the Climate Chance World Summit held in Agadir, Morocco.
“This edition reveals once again that international civil society continuously expect such meetings and talks, and reaffirms its determination to assert its natural role in the fight for climate,” said Ronan Dantec, President of the Climate Chance Association, at the closing of the summit.
The summit was concluded with the signature of ‘The Statement of Agadir’, supported by many Moroccan non-state actors and signed by many of the world’s major networks including CAN-International (focal point to CCNUCC, representing more than 1000 Climate and Environment NGOs); ICLEI (focal point of communities to CCNUCC), CGLU, C40; YOUNGO (the constituency of youth associations at the CCNUCC); CSI: International trade union confederation (focal point of trade union at the CCNUCC); WECF; and IPACC (Association of African Indigenous Peoples).
The event had over 5,000 participants from 80 nationalities in attendance during three days of talks and debate.
“The Agadir Statement will be brought to COP23 next November. Its adoption is a major step towards strengthening the joint work of global non-state actors. Its signature in Agadir consecrates the efforts undertaken by the Souss Massa Regional Council during the last 10 years, in order to accompany the Moroccan civil society in its fight against climate change” said Brahim Hafidi, President of the Souss Massa Regional Council, the host of the event.
Non-state actors commit through this declaration to intensify the climate action and urge the governmental parties to amplify their ambition to facilitate dialogue.
This MoU is expected to be more than intent; it is a roadmap to facilitate dialogue following the Paris Agreement, to be held in 2018.
Launch of the Climate Chance Observatory: A tool for assessing the progress of climate action by non-state actors for decision-makers.
On September 13, the Climate Chance Observatory for Climate Action of non-state actors was officially launched. This observatory should make possible the measurement of the reality of the actions undertaken by the non-state actors, their success and their challenges.
A first report will be released in autumn 2018 before the COP24 to be held in Poland.
Many personalities of the climate negotiations have made the trip to Agadir (check the list in annex), thus testifying the willingness to work with non-state actors community in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and in achieving the objectives reaffirmed in 2015 during the COP21 and in line with the Marrakech Partnership.
“The success of this Summit is also owed to a strong African and Moroccan presence and mobilization in workshops and meetings” highlighted Ronan Dantec.
African local and regional elected representatives have launched a call for the mobilization of African civil society, of which the first step will be made at Africités 2018 in Brazzaville.
The objective is to bring a concrete answer to the initiative “we are still in” and reaffirm that specific challenges and needs in Africa can only be resolved collectively.
Climate Chance: a Summit to consolidate collective climate action
With over 100 side-events, the three-days Summit allowed climate actors to discuss progress together, exchange good practices on mitigation and adaptation and develop synergies and convergences on common themes: in particular access to finance, urban planning, migration flows, food security. These are the main topics on which it is urgent to act effectively and concretely between all the actors (local authorities, associations, businesses, trade unions etc.).
Brahim Hafidi paid tribute to the Moroccan civil society, strongly mobilized in favor of the climate “Raising awareness about environmental protection, training to the use of renewable and photovoltaic energy, development of the green economy, these are some high-impact actions effectively implemented by the associations we, the Souss Massa Regional Council, do support”.
The summit was also the occasion for the signature by several local authorities of their intention to subscribe to the initiative Under2 MoU.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged its commitment to provide the regulatory leadership, technical coordination, and stakeholder engagement required to successfully develop and implement a robust National Action Plan on maritime decarbonization in Nigeria.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Dayo Mobereola, made this known during the National Stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a National Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan, further describing the workshop as a critical step in actualising the Federal Government’s blue economy and climate objectives.
Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Mr Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the NIMASA DG underscored the significance of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, a technical cooperation initiative /designed to support developing countries in implementing the IMO GHG Strategy.
According to him, the National Action Plan being developed will reflect national realities, leverage existing capacities, address identified gaps, and align with broader economic and environmental priorities of the federal government.
Mr Mobereola stressed that “this transition is not merely about compliance with international obligations, it is about safeguarding our marine environment, protecting public health, strengthening the blue economy, and ensuring that our maritime industry remains competitive and future-ready”, the DG said.
Also speaking at the event was the Technical Manager of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, Ms Astrid Dispert, who highlighted that the overarching objective of the initiative is to advance a coherent and globally aligned regulatory framework to accelerate maritime decarbonization.
She also emphasised that NIMASA plays a pivotal role in driving the project at the national level.
The IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project provides technical expertise and institutional support to assist countries in developing and implementing National Action Plans that promote sustainable shipping practices, encourage investment in clean technologies, and strengthen capacity for long-term emissions reduction.
Through this collaboration, the federal government is advancing deliberate steps towards maritime decarbonization, reinforcing its commitment to global climate goals and ensuring a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for the sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with its digital submission process effective March 1.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Director-General of the Bureau, Mr Adebowale Adedokun, noting that the move was part of the bureau’s commitment to digital transformation and paperless governance.
It explained that the transition followed an earlier circular of Aug. 4, 2025, which introduced electronic submission procedures.
According to the bureau, it has successfully moved from physical filings to a dedicated e-mail service for document submissions and is now advancing to a more robust and integrated system.
The circular announced the inauguration of the BPP Digital Submission Portal, a web-based platform designed to enable MDAs submit procurement-related documents directly to the Bureau.
It stated that the automated platform would streamline the submission process, enhance transparency and ensure accelerated tracking of procurement-related documents and petitions.
“With effect from March 1, all MDAs will be required to use the portal to submit requests for ‘No Objection’ Certificates, approvals for ‘No Objection’ for special procurements, clarifications and status updates on submissions,” the bureau said.
It added that the portal would be hosted on the Bureau’s official website and would become fully operational from the effective date.
The bureau warned that physical submissions or manual hand-deliveries would no longer be prioritised and would eventually be rejected following the full transition to the digital platform.
It urged accounting officers to brief their procurement departments and ICT units on the development to ensure seamless processing of procurement activities from March 1.
It further advised MDAs to contact the Bureau via its official email for information on the onboarding process and integration into the portal.
The bureau emphasised that full compliance by all MDAs was required to ensure a smooth transition and avoid delays in the implementation of the 2026 fiscal year procurement processes.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Senate has asked President Bola Tinubu to remove the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, from office.
The Senate Committee on Finance, while passing a resolution in Abuja on Thursday, accused Mr Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), of failing to honour the Senate’s invitations to account for the finances of his agency.
“He refused on so many occasions to honour our invitation to appear before this committee.
“We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of CAC.
“Each time we invite him, he gives us excuses,” the Chairman of the committee, Mr Sani Musa, said as the committee passed the resolution.
CAC was part of a group of agencies that the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recommended zero allocation for the year 2026, for allegedly failing to account for public funds appropriated to them.
The committee, at an investigative hearing held two weeks ago, accused CAC and some other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of shunning invitations to respond to audit queries contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s annual reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The PAC chairman, Mr Bamidele Salam, stated that the National Assembly should not continue to appropriate public funds to institutions that disregard accountability mechanisms, saying this will create fiscal discipline and strengthen transparency across federal institutions and conform with extant financial regulations and the oversight powers of the parliament.
“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions. Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” he said.
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