Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has called on global investors to take advantage of Nigeria’s expanding green economy, highlighting vast investment opportunities across renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, transportation, and resilient infrastructure.
Speaking at the Nigeria Climate Investment Summit, a flagship event of London Climate Action Week themed “Catalyzing Nigeria’s Climate Policy Progress into Financial Flows for Green Projects,” Kalu said Nigeria is prepared to translate climate policies into bankable projects capable of attracting significant international financing.
The Deputy Speaker identified key investment opportunities in distributed renewable energy, solar mini-grids, battery storage, clean cooking solutions, electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure, and industrial energy efficiency. He also spotlighted climate-smart agriculture, irrigation, cold-chain logistics, food processing, and resilient rural infrastructure as critical sectors capable of boosting food security and livelihoods.
Kalu further listed electric mobility, mass transit systems, low-carbon urban transport, waste-to-value initiatives, methane reduction projects, circular economy enterprises, and green manufacturing as viable areas for investment.
Addressing climate adaptation needs, he emphasized the importance of investments in flood-control systems, resilient drainage networks, coastal protection, nature-based solutions, and climate-resilient housing, noting that Nigeria faces both mitigation and adaptation challenges due to increasing climate-related disasters.
He stressed that Nigeria’s green transition must be inclusive, creating jobs, expanding affordable energy access, empowering women and youths, and ensuring no community is left behind.
Linking climate investment to broader economic reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, Kalu said recent policy measures have strengthened investor confidence. According to him, the removal of fuel subsidies has freed up resources for infrastructure development and helped double government revenues in 2025 to over ₦28.3 trillion, while foreign exchange reforms have improved liquidity and reduced market distortions.
The Deputy Speaker assured investors that the 10th National Assembly is strengthening the legal and regulatory environment through legislation such as the Climate Change Act and the Electricity Act. He explained that the laws provide frameworks for climate governance, carbon markets, emissions reporting, and greater private-sector participation in electricity generation and distribution.
Kalu also pledged continued legislative support for climate financing initiatives, including enhanced investor protection, streamlined project approvals, stronger oversight of climate expenditure, and the development of carbon-market and green-finance frameworks.
Calling for stronger international partnerships, he urged pension funds, banks, insurers, development finance institutions, and philanthropic organizations to collaborate with Nigerian institutions through blended-finance models, green guarantees, political risk insurance, and local-currency financing mechanisms.
To accelerate implementation, Kalu proposed the establishment of a structured Nigeria–London Green Finance Partnership aimed at developing an investor-ready pipeline of projects in clean energy, transportation, agriculture, resilient infrastructure, and the circular economy.
He said the partnership would help transform climate ambitions into concrete investments that deliver infrastructure, jobs, resilience, and sustainable economic growth.
Kalu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to aligning its green finance standards and project preparation systems with international best practices, assuring investors that the country is ready to become one of Africa’s leading destinations for climate-focused investment.
