NNPC Ltd Leads Nigeria’s Push for Coordinated Carbon Monitoring and Energy Transition at COP30

At the ongoing COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has emerged as a key driver in advancing a unified national framework for Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems, a critical step toward unlocking carbon finance and accelerating Africa’s most populous nation’s energy transition.

During a high-level side event titled “Strengthening Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Systems and Unlocking Carbon Finance for Nigeria’s Energy Transition,” convened by the Gas Aggregator Company Nigeria Ltd (GACN), NNPC’s Head of Sustainability, Chinedu Igwe, underscored the company’s commitment to inter-agency collaboration and the operationalisation of robust MRV infrastructure. He described effective MRV as the cornerstone of credible carbon governance and a prerequisite for attracting sustainable investment, particularly for methane-abatement projects.

With Africa’s largest proven natural gas reserves, Nigeria is strategically positioning gas as a transition fuel while pursuing its ambitious net-zero target by 2060 under the federally approved National Energy Transition Plan. Achieving this goal, which spans power, oil & gas, transport, industry, and cooking sectors, is projected to require over US$410 billion in additional investment by 2060, largely from private-sector climate finance.

The event also highlighted recent milestones, including President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a National Carbon Market Framework, signalling Nigeria’s intent to actively participate in global carbon markets. Senior presidential aide on Climate Technology, Olamide Fagbuji, called for harmonised data flows and clear governance structures to maximise these opportunities.

Stakeholders at the session agreed that Nigeria must shift from fragmented initiatives to a coordinated, whole-of-government approach, with NNPC Ltd playing a pivotal convening and leadership role in delivering measurable progress beyond COP30.

The discussions resonate across the African continent, where many resource-rich nations are balancing energy access, economic growth, and climate commitments, making Nigeria’s emerging model of public-private MRV coordination and gas-centred transition strategy a potential reference point for the region.