Former lawmaker Sam Onuigbo, sponsor of Nigeria’s Climate Change Act 2021, has called on African countries to take greater control of the continent’s climate agenda and shape policies that determine its environmental and economic future.
Onuigbo made the call on Monday, September 7, at the 14th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-XIV), holding in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He said Africa must move beyond presenting climate priorities to actively shaping how climate finance, policies and implementation are designed and governed.
He stressed that climate pledges must translate into practical results through laws, budgets, bankable projects, accountable institutions and measurable outcomes. He also urged African countries to mobilise domestic resources, including public funds, pension assets and sovereign wealth funds, to attract larger pools of investment while ensuring that international climate finance supports rather than dictates Africa’s development priorities.
Onuigbo further called for stronger African institutions and greater involvement of parliaments, which he said play critical roles in passing laws, approving budgets and holding governments accountable. He urged African governments to build climate systems capable of surviving political transitions and electoral cycles, as CCDA-XIV continues in Addis Ababa until Sept. 9.
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