Nasarawa secures $160,000 grant to develop climate investment platform

The Nasarawa government says it has secured a $160,000 grant from the African Climate Foundation to develop a climate investment platform (CIP) for the state.

Speaking on Monday in Lafia, the state capital, during a stakeholders’ meeting on the CIP project, Ibrahim Abdullahi, the managing director (MD) of the Nasarawa state Investment Development Agency (NASIDA), said the platform will boost clean energy solutions.

Abdullah said the climate investment platform would pull together projects that align with the state’s ambition of transitioning to cleaner energy solutions.

He said the project would enhance climate-smart agriculture, construction, and other climate-related initiatives.

He added that the project entails the development of strategic policy documents, an action plan for emission reduction, and capacity building for businesses to support climate action in the state.

“The CIP is a key component of a broader strategy to position Nasarawa State as a leading destination for climate-smart investment,” Abdullah said.

Sesan Adedapo, a representative from Murty International, the implementing firm, said the project includes creating a science-based climate policy and action plan for Nasarawa.

Adedapo said the platform would also provide a climate financing strategy to attract local and international investors to the state, provide technical assistance, and support local businesses to adopt energy-efficient technologies.

Adnan Aminu, the project consultant, said the stakeholders’ engagement was aimed at gathering insights on climate investment needs, priorities, and challenges across key sectors, including agriculture, transportation, energy, and waste management.

Aminu added that the engagement was set up to also identify local barriers to climate financing and opportunities for policy or regulatory improvement in the state.