During a one-day workshop organized by the National Council on Climate Change, Vice President Kashim Shettima stated on Tuesday that Nigeria’s decision to remove fuel subsidies could result in a substantial decrease of over 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions within a single year.
Speaking at the event centered around the theme ‘Unpacking the outcomes of the 58 sessions of the subsidiary bodies of the United Nations framework convention on climate change,’ Vice President Shettima, represented by Deputy Chief of Staff Senator Ibrahim Hassan, emphasized that Nigeria is well on track to fulfill its nationally determined contribution targets.
“In the beginning of this administration, President Bola Tinubu courageously moved to terminate petrol subsidies. Initial evaluations carried out by the National Council on Climate Change regarding the additional benefits of abolishing the fuel subsidy indicate a remarkable 30 percent reduction in daily fuel consumption, which translates to around 20 million liters per day. This reduction is equivalent to an estimated daily preservation of 42,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions,” explained Shettima.
“When extrapolated over the course of a year, this equates to an impressive saving of over 15 million tonnes of CO2. This achievement represents approximately a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the baseline projection of 45 million metric tonnes of total GHG carbon dioxide equivalent by the year 2030.
These results place Nigeria ahead of schedule in meeting our NDC targets,” he added.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Salisu Dahiru, the Director General of the NCCC, highlighted the necessity for thorough preparation on Nigeria’s part for COP28 and other essential statutory meetings.”