Civil society organisations have raised concerns over what they describe as contradictions in Nigeria’s climate policy, following announcements and discussions during COP30 side events on the global energy transition.
At one session, Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi, Director-General of the National Council for Climate Change (NCCC), revealed that Nigeria had been accepted into the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA) Fund. The announcement was met with surprise, as earlier in the year Nigeria signalled plans to restart oil exploration in Ogoniland a region still grappling with decades of pollution and displacement linked to fossil fuel extraction.
Observers pointed out that while BOGA was established to accelerate a global phase-out of oil and gas, Nigeria continues to promote a “phase-down” model. At COP28, Nigerian officials openly rejected calls for a fossil fuel phase-out, insisting on extending oil and gas exploitation under the pretext of reducing emissions.
Civil society leaders questioned how Nigeria could commit to fresh oil drilling while joining an initiative that requires Paris Agreement-aligned timelines for ending fossil fuel operations. They warned that such inconsistency undermines both Nigeria’s credibility and the mission of BOGA.
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Beyond the policy contradictions, civil society groups also criticised the framing of the COP30 side events. The use of the word “orderly” in titles drew scrutiny, with activists cautioning that the term could mask an agenda of delay. A representative of the COP30 presidency defended the phrasing, saying language should not distract from action.
However, Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), argued that words matter: “Formulations are key as they drive both mindset, policies, and investment. Justice isn’t a gradual thing. No gradualism when you are drowning or licked by roaring flames.”
Dr. Mfoniso Xael, Programmes Manager at HOMEF, echoed the concern, warning that “orderly” risks becoming code for delay. “It could mean cautious or slow change instead of the urgent phase-out needed, locking in decades more extraction and preserving oil revenues at the expense of frontline communities,” Xael said.
For civil society, Nigeria’s contradictory stance within BOGA and the careful use of transition language reflect the same challenge: fossil fuel interests shaping timelines, institutions, and debates to their advantage. Activists insist that climate justice demands clarity, urgency, and honesty not gradualism.
