Climate advocates in Nigeria are urging world leaders to provide grants not loans for climate adaptation across Africa, while urging lawmakers at home to pass a landmark environmental bill that will protect communities, ecosystems, and public health.
Speaking at a civil society and media workshop on climate adaptation in Abuja, Executive Director of the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), Dr. Michael David, warned that climate change is already crippling agriculture and threatening livelihoods across Africa.
“Recurrent floods, shorter dry spells, and unpredictable rainfall are disrupting farming, driving food inflation, and putting millions at risk,” David said. “Loans are no longer a solution. What Africa needs are grants, debt cancellation, and direct support for communities.”
He stressed that Africa requires an estimated $53 billion annually to build resilient infrastructure, support smallholder farmers, and achieve food sovereignty. “We cannot continue borrowing money for adaptation projects that are destroyed by climate disasters, while our people remain saddled with the debt. There should be zero loans for climate adaptation,” he added.
Citing reports that only $11 billion in adaptation finance has reached Africa since 2021, he described the figure as “far too small considering the scale of the crisis.” He also called for funding to be shifted from mitigation to adaptation, noting that “for us to live through climate change, we must adapt and that requires the right financing.”
Alongside this call for global support, Gloria Agema, Program Director of the Gee Foundation for Social Justice and Development, highlighted the importance of strong domestic governance through the Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) Bill 2025, currently before the National Assembly.
“In an age where sustainability is paramount, the ESHIA Bill is a landmark piece of legislation,” Agema said. “It protects ecosystems, ensures free and informed community participation, and guarantees that development will not compromise public health or the environment.”
The bill seeks to replace the outdated 2004 Environmental Impact Assessment Act with tougher penalties—including fines of N10 million to N50 million for violators—while creating a new national agency to monitor and enforce compliance. It also embeds international best practices such as Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for communities and disaster risk reduction measures.
Agema stressed that civil society organizations (CSOs), citizens, and the media must unite to demand its speedy passage: “It is our duty to ensure this bill does not sit on a shelf. Strong oversight, accountability, and enforcement are the keys to protecting lives and ensuring Nigeria’s development aligns with global standards.”
David emphasized that international financing must be complemented by strong domestic legislation to shield Africa from the growing threats of climate change.
“Adaptation and strong environmental governance are inseparable,”
“Without urgent action, Africa’s most vulnerable communities will keep suffering the worst impacts of climate disasters. The future of our children depends on the choices we make today.”David stated
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