Nigeria seeks greater climate, biodiversity support as GEF-8 ends

Nigeria has expressed optimism about securing increased funding for climate change, biodiversity conservation, and environmental restoration projects under the upcoming Global Environment Facility (GEF)-9 funding cycle, as the GEF formally concluded its GEF-8 cycle at its Eighth Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

The GEF Council approved $232.5 million in its final meeting of the GEF-8 cycle, supporting 24 projects across 22 countries. Of this amount, $144.3 million was allocated through the GEF Trust Fund, while additional resources were approved through the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) and the Least Developed Countries Fund/Special Climate Change Fund (LDCF/SCCF) for biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation projects.

Speaking at the Assembly, Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, praised the GEF funding mechanism, which has supported biodiversity, land restoration, and climate adaptation initiatives in Nigeria since 2009. Under the GEF-8 cycle, Nigeria received about $21 million for projects including efforts to advance the country’s net-zero emissions and biodiversity protection targets.

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However, GEF financial records show that Nigeria still owes about $6.1 million in outstanding pledges made during the GEF-4 and GEF-5 funding cycles, making it the only country yet to fulfil commitments from two separate cycles. Lawal acknowledged the arrears and assured delegates that efforts were underway to redeem Nigeria’s pledges, although he did not provide specific details.

Despite the financial challenges, Nigeria urged the GEF to increase support under the GEF-9 cycle, which begins on July 1, particularly to address pressing environmental issues such as desertification, coastal erosion, and biodiversity loss.

A major focus of the upcoming funding cycle will be stronger inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). GEF officials said projects that directly benefit local communities will receive greater consideration, even in countries like Nigeria where indigenous groups are not formally institutionalised. GEF representatives stressed that local communities and indigenous peoples would be treated with equal importance in project design and implementation.

The Assembly also highlighted the impact of GEF-funded small grants in Nigeria. Through programmes implemented by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, farming communities in the desertifying Hadejia-Nguru wetlands of Yobe State are receiving improved crop varieties and early warning information to strengthen food security and resilience to climate change.

Civil society organisations called for expanded GEF support, while officials from the Federal Ministry of Environment emphasized the importance of blended financing, private-sector participation, community involvement, and capacity building to ensure successful implementation of future climate and biodiversity projects under the GEF-9 cycle.

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