The UN Climate Change Secretariat has said Nigerians need not be worried about Carbon Tax as being punitive, but rather should see it as an instrument which aims at developing positive behavior towards climate action.
Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja at the Validation Workshop on Operationalizing a Pilot Carbon Tax in Nigeria’s Telecommunications Sector, the Regional Lead, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Regional Collaboration Centre for West and Central Africa (UNFCC RCC WAC Africa), Walter’s Tubua said the idea is not to tax carbon but to incentivize positive behavior, enable innovative actions that aligned to climate action.
He noted that the UN agency knows that through its regional centre for Africa responded to a request from Nigeria to serve as support partner to the country on its efforts to better understand and consider policies relating to carbon pricing instruments.
He noted that: “Nigeria’s engagement on this remains voluntary and they can or not adopt a policy under this area of work. The idea is to ensure Nigeria fully understands and carefully considers carbon pricing instruments within its national context.
Tubua, while stating that the UN Climate Change Secretariat is represented by its Regional Lead for West and Central Africa, said the telecom sector was selected by Nigeria as a pilot sector.
He noted the country may in future decide to take advantage of the lessons from this sector and expand into other sectors if the country so desires.
On her part, the Director, General, National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi asked for collaboration of all stakeholders to make ensure that the nation’s target in carbon finance is met.
Majekodunmi, who was represented by one of the senior officers of the Council, Benedette Ejiofor, said: “Our work today is not discretionary; it is a direct fulfillment of our statutory obligation. The NCCC is the body charged with the power to make policies on all matters relating to climate change and green growth in Nigeria.
“This mandate is enshrined in the Climate Change Act, 2021, which provides the framework for Nigeria to achieve low greenhouse gas emissions, green and sustainable growth. Nigeria’s long-term commitment is to achieve Net-Zero by 2060, driven by clear, actionable steps for economy-wide absolute emissions reduction, as advised by the Global Stocktake (GST).”
She noted that: “The strategic recycling of these funds is key to ensuring the tax remains equitable, efficient, and development oriented.”
She urged that: “Let us strengthen the institutional relationships and build the consensus needed to operationalize this pilot. We have the legal mandate, the technical framework, and the urgency of our climate crisis demanding that we succeed.”
Michael Olugbode