Tinubu Expected to Speak at African Climate Summit

President Bola Tinubu is expected to speak today, September 5, at 11 a.m. during the third plenary session of the African Climate Summit, themed, “Charting a Vision: Investment Opportunities for Green Growth.”

However, it is unclear who will represent the president as he is attending the G-20 Summit in India.

Today’s session will begin with the presidential opening, which will be graced by dozens of African Heads of State and Governments.

The security situation is tight as delegates, ministers and presidents have arrived at the centre.

Tinubu will be speaking alongside Kenya’s President, William Ruto; Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed; Senegal’s President, Macky Sall, and a youth representative from Togo, Bawoupati Batassa.

The session will be moderated by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the Chief Executive Officer, Sustainable Energy for All, Damilola Ogunbiyi.

The Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi, Kenya, yesterday witnessed a bevvy of activities, among which was the ministerial opening that had in attendance several ministers and delegates from across the globe

The event was the inaugural African Climate Change Summit hosted and chaired by Ruto.

To ensure that Nigeria positions itself in the carbon market, the global advisor, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet and former Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, stated that there must be an end to pollution and gas flaring.

Osinbajo, who served as the moderator for the session on carbon markets at the summit yesterday stated that Nigeria must quickly end gas flaring and effectively begin the transition to renewable energy.

He further stated that Nigeria had begun the decommissioning of diesel-powered generators in large open markets.

In his response to our correspondent’s question on the impact of the continuous burning of seized stolen oil vessels by the military on the environment despite the Climate Change Act and Nigeria’s nationally determined contribution, Osinbajo called for an urgent need to end gas flaring.

He said: “One of the ways we can get there is by making our carbon market work. If it is commissioned, we can sell those credits. It is a matter of doing what works. If we can activate our carbon market, we can monetise it.”