COP31: Nigeria Champions Just Energy Transition, Deepens Ties with Turkiye, and Celebrates Indeginous Innovation
The Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, was part of the Nigerian delegation to the 31st Conference of the Parties, (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The delegation was led by H.E. Balarabe Abass Lawal, Honourable Minister of Environment and also includes the Honourable Ministers of Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator Abubakar Kyari, as well as the Director General National Council on Climate Change amongst others.
The opening of the Antalya Leaders’ Summit (COP31) featured high-level addresses led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan alongside the UN leadership. President Erdoğan opened proceedings by framing environmental stewardship as a moral obligation and a shared sacred trust under one sky and earth, warning that escalating climate pressures threaten global stability.
Erdoğan highlighted Türkiye’s newly enacted Climate Law, which strengthens national legal frameworks for economic transformation, alongside nationwide resilience initiatives like the Water Efficiency Mobilization to combat regional droughts. He emphasized that developing and vulnerable nations require predictable capital and real support structures rather than bearing a disproportionate crisis burden.
On the sidelines of the ongoing
31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) Ambassador Enikanolaiye led Nigeria’s engagements in a series of high-level bilateral, climate, and innovation events — all in the course of one single official travel.
UK-Nigeria Energy Security and Transition Partnership
At the official announcement of the UK-Nigeria partnership: – -Accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels_, Ambassador Enikanolaiye, who stood in for the Minister of Environment, reiterated Nigeria’s position that the transition must be just, orderly, equitable and taking into consideration national circumstances, energy security, development priorities and the need to expand affordable and reliable access without jeopardising diversification and wealth creation.
He disclosed that Nigeria has a pathway towards net-zero emissions by 2060 and embraces natural gas as a transition fuel. He noted that methane abatement provides an immediate and practical opportunity to advance decarbonisation without losing sight of our national development objectives and reinforced commitments to eliminate routine gas flaring by 2030 with the establishment of the Joint Decarbonisation Working Group (JDWG).
The Minister of State commended the partnership and continued cooperation of the UK Government with Nigeria on the environment, emphasising that such partnerships deepen long-standing bilateral relations and technology transfer between both countries.
“Looking ahead, the UK–Nigeria Methane Partnership should help accelerate action across the oil and gas, waste, and agricultural sectors. In the energy sector, particular attention should be given to improved methane measurement, reporting and verification, leak detection and repair, reduction of venting and flaring, and the deployment of appropriate technologies for capturing and utilising associated gas.”
As he welcomed the partnership, Enikanolaiye charged that “our collective success will depend not merely on the commitments we announce, but on the practical results we achieve. By addressing methane emissions in Nigeria’s oil, gas, waste, and agricultural sectors, we deliver immediate climate benefits while upgrading our national infrastructure, improving air quality, and securing energy supplies for millions of citizens.”
The Honourable Minister of State signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK Government on the UK-NIGERIA Energy Security and Transition Partnership after which he participated in a panel discussion, where he highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to energy transition in a just and equitable manner.
Nigeria, Turkiye Set For Joint Economic Commission in Q1 2027
As part of efforts to boost commerce, investment, and bilateral relations between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Türkiye, both countries have committed to the convening of a Joint Economic Commission (JEC). It is scheduled to be held by the first quarter of the year 2027.
This was the highlight of a high-level bilateral dialogue between the two countries on the sidelines of COP31, where Ambassador Enikanolaiye represented Nigeria, while the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (Africa) of the Republic of Türkiye, Ambassador Musa Kulaklikaya represented his country.
Both Ministers emphasized their mutual commitment to expanding cooperation in critical sectors, including defence, energy, infrastructure development, and trade. Ambassador Enikanolaiye highlighted Nigeria’s massive natural gas reserves and invited Turkish partnership in flagship infrastructure projects such as the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline.
On security, Nigeria expressed appreciation for Türkiye’s continuous support in capacity building, notably the recent training programs provided to Nigerian special forces. Both countries are in the process of finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding to institutionalize defence industry cooperation and enhance mutual security capabilities.
The dialogue also addressed regional stability in West Africa. Nigeria acknowledged Türkiye’s constructive role in the Sahel and reaffirmed the importance of collaborative diplomacy to ensure lasting peace and integration within the ECOWAS sub-region, particularly concerning relations with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Both countries capped up their engagement with an agreement to foster stronger bilateral engagements. They also agreed to streamline consular protocols and visa regimes for diplomatic and official passport holders, ensuring smoother transit for state representatives.
The engagement marks a significant milestone in Nigeria-Türkiye relations, reflecting a shared vision for prosperity, security, and mutual growth.
Nigerian Innovation Shines: Solar Backpack and Nigeria Day
In a related event organised by Innovative Renewable Energy Storage Solution (iRESS) during the same COP31 engagement, Ambassador Enikanolaiye commended the ingenuity of the Nigerian entrepreneur who invented the solar backpack. He also commended the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in bridging the obvious energy gaps in Nigeria.
Ambassador Enikanolaiye also stated that the President Bola Tinubu administration had embarked on the difficult but necessary reforms needed for businesses such as iRESS to thrive. He commended the macroeconomic stability in Nigeria, which he stated remains the solid foundation for improvement in the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians.
Ambassador Enikanolaiye, in the company of the Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security, and Environment, Senator Abubakar Kyari, and Honourable Balarabe Abbas Mohammed respectively, also declared open the Nigeria Day at the country’s pavilion, expressing deep appreciation for the excellent organization of the events.
Together, the three engagements — on just energy transition with the United Kingdom, on economic and security partnership with Türkiye, and with Nigerian innovators — underscore the central message of Nigeria’s participation at COP31: diplomacy for development, energy transition with justice, and prosperity built on partnership.
Signed
Richard Elesho,
S.A Media and Strategic Communications to the Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
13th November 2026
