Sam Onuigbo calls for African leadership in climate governance

Sam Onuigbo, a former Nigerian lawmaker and sponsor of the Climate Change Act 2021, has called for African nations to assert greater agency in global climate governance. Speaking at the 14th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-XIV) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Onuigbo argued that the continent must move beyond making pledges to actively designing and governing the rules, institutions, and financing pathways that shape its climate future.

Onuigbo emphasized that true climate ambition is measured by the ability to translate commitments into laws, budgets, and accountable institutions rather than just the number of pledges made. He advocated for the mobilization of African capital—including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and commercial banks—to support local development and climate projects.

He further stressed that Africa should play a decisive role in determining how multilateral climate funds are accessed and disbursed. Onuigbo warned against a model where the continent merely supplies raw materials and cheap carbon credits, instead urging African governments and parliaments to build robust systems that ensure climate leadership is anchored in African authority and institutional strength.