Niger State Moves to Lead Green Economy with Proposed Carbon Market Office

By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Niger State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to establishing the Niger State Carbon Market O...

By Awwal Umar Kontagora

The Niger State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to establishing the Niger State Carbon Market Office (NSCMO), a strategic initiative aimed at positioning the state at the forefront of Nigeria’s emerging carbon market ecosystem.

The disclosure was made by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abubakar Usman, during an exploratory stakeholders’ meeting with development partners, technical experts, and private sector actors to deliberate on the framework for the proposed office.

Describing the initiative as a major milestone, the SSG said the move aligns with the administration’s broader agenda of integrating environmental sustainability with economic growth, revenue diversification, and investment attraction.

He noted that, under the leadership of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, the state remains committed to forward-looking policies that address climate challenges while unlocking new economic opportunities for its people.

According to him, the proposed Carbon Market Office goes beyond environmental policy and should be viewed as a strategic economic intervention capable of unlocking access to climate finance, attracting green investments, creating jobs, and strengthening the state’s internally generated revenue base.

The SSG further explained that his office, as the coordinating arm of government, will ensure policy coherence and institutional alignment across relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), thereby guaranteeing a whole-of-government approach.

Under the proposed governance structure, Governor Bago will provide strategic leadership, while the Office of the Secretary to the State Government will coordinate policy direction. The Commissioner for Environment is expected to serve as the interim focal person, with the NSCMO functioning as the central coordinating platform.

Officials stated that the lean institutional model is deliberately designed to reduce bureaucracy, eliminate duplication, and fast-track implementation, while allowing room for gradual expansion as the initiative evolves.

Recognising the technical complexities of carbon markets, the government also disclosed plans to leverage international partnerships and external expertise in key areas such as carbon accounting, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV), project certification, and market access.

According to the SSG, this approach will ensure that Niger State’s entry into the carbon market ecosystem meets global standards from the outset and inspires investor confidence.

He added that all legal and regulatory responsibilities will be domiciled in the Ministry of Justice, while agencies such as the Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA) will operate strictly within their statutory mandates, particularly in waste management and landfill-related carbon projects.

Calling for broad collaboration, the government urged development partners, technical stakeholders, and private investors to work closely with the state in building a transparent, credible, and results-driven carbon market framework.

With climate finance and green investments increasingly shaping global economic opportunities, the initiative signals Niger State’s ambition to emerge as a national model for subnational carbon market development in Nigeria.