By Omoyeni Ojeifo
ActionAid Nigeria has called for greater access to climate financing for young people and vulnerable communities, urging stakeholders to ensure that funding reaches those most affected by climate change.
The organization made the call at the 2026 Local Conference of Youth (LCOY), under the theme, “Advancing NDC 3.0 Implementation: Youth-Led AI and Climate Finance Capacity Building for a Resilient Nigeria.” in Abuja, on Thursday.
NDC 3.0 is Nigeria’s third climate action commitment under the Paris Agreement, outlining measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen resilience to climate change.
PerSecondNews correspondent at the conference reports that, Blessing Ifemenam, Programme Adviser, Strategic Partnership Agreement, ActionAid Nigeria, described climate change as a development and justice issue, with its effects falling more heavily on vulnerable communities, women, girls and young people.
““Young people must be more than participants in climate conversations. They must be recognised as leaders, advocates, innovators and decision-makers,” she said.
“For Nigeria, this means addressing not only the effects of climate change but also the systems and decisions that shape access to resources and the future of our communities.”
According to her, ActionAid’s interventions focused on strengthening youth movements, promoting accountable climate governance and supporting community-level resilience.
She maintained that young Nigerians should have greater influence over climate policies and decisions affecting their communities, particularly as the country moves towards implementing NDC 3.0.
“Are young people meaningfully shaping this commitment? Do they have access to the information, resources and platforms needed to influence climate policies? And are climate finance and public investment reaching the communities and young people who need them most?”
The ActionAid representative also questioned whether climate financing and public investments were reaching the communities most affected by climate change, urging government and other stakeholders to ensure accountability for their commitments.
She warned that international climate agreements would have limited impact if commitments made at global conferences were not translated into practical action within Nigeria.
“These are not questions for young people to answer alone. They require government, civil society, development partners and the private sector to work together and, importantly, to be accountable for the commitments we make,” she noted.
“We make a lot of commitment when we go to the global stages, but when we come back, do we localize them? Do we also begin to implement some of these commitments?”
On the role of technology, Ifemenam said artificial intelligence could strengthen climate innovation, evidence generation and advocacy, provided its benefits were accessible to communities.
“Technology can support climate innovation, evidence generation and advocacy, but it must be accessible, inclusive and guided by the needs of communities. Innovation should not deepen existing inequalities; it should help us to address them,” she said.
She urged stakeholders to move beyond general statements of commitment and identify practical climate actions that young people could lead, influence and monitor.
“Let us move from consultation to influence, from commitment to accountability, and from youth participation to youth-led transformation,” she said.
Ifemenam reaffirmed ActionAid’s commitment to working with young people and their movements to advance climate justice, promote inclusive opportunities and build a more resilient Nigeria.
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