By Nsikak Ekere
On 10th April, 2025 the NCCCs with support from GEF and UNDP hosted a technical workshop for the South-East, South-South, and South-West regions of Nigeria on the second Biennial Transparent Report and the 4th National Communication preparation (BRT2/NC4).
The purpose of the training was to evaluate Nigeria’s obligation to the UNFCCC.
Presentations were done by Razak Nayamuth and Bhardowaz Ramlowat on the analysis of the BTR1, addressing the gaps and shortcomings of Nigeria’s inventory and compliance with the COP decisions and the Paris Agreement which Nigeria is a signatory to.
According to the 2025 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) report, Nigeria was ranked 17th and medium on its performance index in 2024 among the 5 African countries listed including Morocco (high), Egypt (medium), South Africa (low) and Algeria (low). From the CCPI report, Nigeria has dropped 9 places to 26 in 2025 from the previous year because of the expanding of domestic fuel gas use and export by the federal government.
The experts say there are 9 mandatory chapters to comply for the BTR report by Nigeria which includes national inventory report, NDC tracking, information relative to climate change impacts and adaptation, improvements in reporting over time, any other information and Annexes to decision 18/CMA.1 – REDD+, CRTs, CTFs, and ITMOs, to mention a few.
From the experts presentation of the Submission and Content of National Communication 1, it was noted that Nigeria did not put down its needs including financial needs for proposed climate projects, and the need for states to play their role to achieve a combined need assessment. This is despite a funding gap of about $1.7 trillion for climate action.
The meeting was further expanded to know the status of Nigerian states with the convention, what they have addressed and what has not been attained. Given this, a tracking system— Transparent, Accuracy, Compatibility, Completeness and Consistency (TACCC) principles and Modalities, Process and Guidelines (MPGs) was proposed for reporting, collecting and improving tracking over time, and assessing climate change impacts.
The highlight of the event included addressing the time series, adequate preparation of BRT2/NC4 for early submission, and improving
the MRV system for transparent entry of emitting categories including GHG gases such as HCFs and non mandatory gases.
The experts also noted that accurate reporting is key, for example, cows in the north who don’t feed well would not emit the same methane as cows in the south who eat a lot. However, reporting has been projected to be that they emit the same quantity of methane.
Stakeholders clamored from relying on foreign statistics but building national statistics to strengthen accurate reporting ensuring current data use rather than data from the 1970’s for current issues.
