Strengthening Young People’s Participation and Leadership in Nigeria’s Climate Action

Young people constitute approximately 60 percent of Nigeria's population and are among those most affected by the impacts of climate change. Climate change-related challenges, including flooding and drought, undermine the transformation of agri-food systems, leading to increasing food insecurity, environmental degradation, and declining livelihood opportunities. 

For Nigeria to fulfill its commitments under the Paris Agreement - to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen climate resilience, and promote sustainable development - the youth, who represent more than half of the population, clearly have a critical role to play. This was the consensus among stakeholders at the Nigeria Youth Climate Summit 2026, held recently in Abuja, Nigeria. 

The summit reinforced the role of young people as key partners in delivering Nigeria's climate ambitions, demonstrating that meaningful youth engagement is essential to achieving a climate-resilient and low-carbon future. 

Held in Abuja under the theme "Youth Leadership in Climate Action: Amplifying Youth Voices in the Implementation of Nigeria's NDC 3.0," the summit brought together more than 180 young climate leaders, policymakers, development partners, innovators, civil society organisations, and private sector representatives to co-create practical solutions for implementing Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0). It also provided a platform for young people to present a unified youth position on climate action and the implementation of the NDC 3.0, which outlines the country's updated commitments under the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen climate resilience, and promote sustainable development. 

Recognising the potential and influencing capacity of young people across different spheres of life, the summit positioned youth not merely as beneficiaries of climate action but as innovators, entrepreneurs, advocates, and decision-makers capable of driving transformative change. 

To strengthen young people's understanding of the NDC 3.0 ahead of the maiden edition of the National Summit, our German-government-funded project, "Driving Ambitious Climate Contributions in Agri-Food Systems (ClimA)," partnered with ActionAid Nigeria to convene a National Young People's Dialogue on the NDC 3.0. The dialogue equipped participants to engage meaningfully in the National Youth Climate Summit through their collective position and recommendations, captured in a communiqué. 

The communiqué outlined seven key outcomes that will guide future action. Participants agreed that youth participation in climate governance should be institutionalised through structured and meaningful engagement mechanisms. They also called for the development and operationalisation of a Youth Action Framework to provide clear pathways for youth leadership and accountability in implementing NDC 3.0. 

Recognising finance as a major constraint, the communiqué emphasised the need for dedicated climate financing opportunities for youth-led innovations and enterprises. It further highlighted the importance of expanding green jobs and climate skills development in areas such as renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, circular economy, carbon accounting, GIS, and nature-based solutions. 

Participants stressed the need to localise climate action by strengthening the involvement of states, local governments, and communities in NDC implementation. The communiqué also called for stronger transparency and accountability mechanisms, including youth-responsive monitoring systems and regular progress reviews. 

Finally, it reaffirmed that gender-responsive and inclusive climate action must remain central to implementation, ensuring meaningful participation and equal opportunities for young women, persons with disabilities, and other marginalised groups. 

A major achievement of the National Youth Summit was the adoption of the youth-led communiqué, which captured a shared vision and collective commitments for accelerating youth participation in climate governance and the implementation of Nigeria's NDC 3.0. 

Building on the momentum generated by the National Young People's Dialogue, the National Youth Climate Summit, and the adoption of the youth-led communiqué, the ClimA project continued its investment in strengthening youth leadership for climate action. In partnership with ActionAid Nigeria and the Inspired Youth Network (IYN), the project supported a five-day “Capacity Strengthening for Effective Advocacy and Policy Influencing on the Implementation of Nigeria's NDC 3.0”. The training equipped 35 young climate leaders - including representatives of Young Farmers in Nigeria (YoFiN), the Nigeria Youth Climate Network (NYCN), the Community of Practice on Youth-Led Alternatives (COPYLA), and other youth-led organisations - with practical skills in climate governance, policy advocacy, accountability, and evidence-based climate storytelling. 

This capacity-building initiative is helping to translate the summit's commitments into sustained youth-led advocacy and action at national and subnational levels, enhancing young people's ability to engage government institutions, monitor the implementation of Nigeria's climate commitments, and champion locally driven climate action. 

The Nigeria Youth Climate Summit 2026 was organised by the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) in partnership with UNICEF Nigeria and with support from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). 

 Through the summit and the initiatives of development partners, Nigeria is strengthening youth participation in national climate governance and advancing the implementation of NDC 3.0 through inclusive partnerships, innovation, and youth leadership. 

Meanwhile, the summit participants have committed to sustaining annual youth climate dialogues and collaborative platforms to monitor progress, share lessons, and maintain momentum toward achieving Nigeria's climate commitments and its net-zero target by 2060. 

The ClimA project is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It supports the transformation of agri-food systems by promoting climate-resilient and sustainable agricultural practices while contributing to Nigeria's climate ambitions under the Paris Agreement.

Authors: Ufoma Umolo, Mercy Ogodo, and Ayodele Adesanmi