ABUJA, Nigeria — Vice-President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Brazil where he will represent President Bola Tinubu at the 30th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), the Presidency announced on Tuesday.
The conference, scheduled for Thursday, November 6 to Friday, November 7, 2025, in Belém, the capital of Pará state in the Brazilian Amazon, will gather world leaders, business executives, climate experts and development partners for high-level discussions on global climate action.
It will be hosted by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in collaboration with international partners.
Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice-President, said the summit will focus on “Climate Action and Implementation,” with emphasis on adaptation, forests, biodiversity and climate justice.
Shettima is expected to deliver Nigeria’s address during the leaders’ plenary, outlining the country’s climate priorities and ongoing efforts to combat the effects of climate change.
Nigeria has been grappling with increased flooding, desertification in the north, coastal erosion and rising temperatures, all placing pressure on agriculture, infrastructure and livelihoods.
According to Nkwocha, the vice-president will also take part in the inauguration of the Tropical Forest Forever Fund, an initiative aimed at supporting conservation efforts across forest-rich regions.
Shettima will join a roundtable chaired by Lula focusing on climate and nature, and attend an Amazonian Cocktail reception for heads of delegations.
On the summit’s second day, Shettima will participate in roundtables on energy transition and on the review of the Paris Agreement with a focus on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and climate financing.
Nigeria has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060 and has been seeking financing partnerships to accelerate renewable energy adoption and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
The vice-president is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings geared toward advancing Nigeria’s entry into carbon markets.
Nkwocha said the effort is aimed at enabling the country “to unlock between $2.5 billion and $3 billion annually in carbon finance over the next decade to help meet climate goals.”
Following his engagements at COP30, Shettima will travel to Brasilia for an official visit with Brazil’s Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin, reciprocating Alckmin’s three-day visit to Nigeria in June.
Discussions are expected to focus on strengthening South-South cooperation and deepening diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries.
Shettima is due back in Nigeria at the end of his engagements in Brazil, Nkwocha said.
