NLC Calls for Climate Finance as a Moral Obligation
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly supported the African labour movement’s demand for at least $1.3 trillion in climate finance, emphasizing that this amount is not a plea for charity but a moral obligation that the Global North must fulfill as climate debt. This declaration was made during the launch of two publications on Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0 and the Just Transition Guidelines.
Comrade Joe Ajaero, the NLC President, stressed that workers should not be overlooked in climate negotiations. He highlighted that climate finance is a moral burden on the Global North to pay what it owes, stating that the $1.3 trillion mentioned at COP 29 is only a minimum demand and not the limit of global climate fiscal responsibility.
Ajaero warned that without socio-economic justice, climate justice would remain an empty slogan. He called for energy sovereignty, debt relief, and green industrial advancement for Nigeria and the entire African continent. The struggle for climate justice, he argued, must co-create energy sovereignty and freedom from toxic sovereign debts that drain funds from critical social services and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Workers’ Voices Must Be Heard
Decrying the exclusion of workers’ voices in previous climate action plans, Ajaero pointed out that earlier NDC submissions failed to mention trade unions, decent work, or labor standards. He emphasized that climate change is largely a workplace issue, as most emissions occur in places of work. Therefore, the new NDC 3.0 and Just Transition Guidelines must make decent work a central pillar.
Decent work, according to Ajaero, recognizes the right to living wages, social dialogue, social protection, and respect for fundamental labor rights. Such measures are essential to achieve both climate and social justice.
As the world prepares for COP 30 in Belém, Brazil, the NLC urged negotiators from the Global South to champion Africa’s position on climate finance and just transition. The labor leader also called on the government and employers to collaborate with trade unions in implementing fair climate policies.
Prioritizing Worker Welfare
Ajaero further demanded that revenues from carbon taxes and climate finance be directed toward compensating workers whose livelihoods are affected by emissions, as well as for reskilling, upskilling, and social protection programs. He commended partners like the ILO, African Development Bank, and Solidarity Centre for supporting the NLC Climate Change Program and urged workers and activists to use the new publications as advocacy tools.
Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi, Director-General of the Nigerian National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), hailed the NLC and ILO for their efforts. She described the NDC 3.0 as a strategic investment plan aligned with Nigeria’s National Development Plan and global climate targets. She explained that NDC 3.0 provides clear emission reduction targets, promotes renewable energy, and embeds labor rights, ensuring that social dialogue and worker protection remain central to Nigeria’s climate transition.
Majekodunmi reiterated NCCC’s commitment to implement transparent carbon market frameworks, operationalize the Climate Change Fund, and provide social safety nets and retraining programs to guarantee a just transition for Nigerian workers.
International Collaboration for Sustainable Development
Ms. Inviolata Chinyangarara, ILO Senior Specialist, commended the NLC for producing the advocacy documents. She noted the importance of integrating workers’ concerns into Nigeria’s climate change response and sustainable development agenda. Chinyangarara stressed the need to prioritize job creation, skills development, and capacity building, particularly for vulnerable groups, so that no worker is left behind in Nigeria’s climate transition.
She pledged the ILO’s continued support through engagement in NDC revisions, Just Transition guidelines, and international knowledge sharing, adding that Nigeria’s example should inspire other African nations.
Mr. Ezekiel Adudu, Director of Special Duties and Projects at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, described the policy paper as a blueprint for an inclusive transition, emphasizing that no worker should be excluded. Adudu reaffirmed the government’s commitment, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, to partner with international bodies in ensuring that climate policies promote sustainable practices and protect workers’ rights across all sectors of the economy.
