The Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs has pledged to support legislative initiatives aimed at strengthening carbon finance mechanisms and enhancing climate resilience in Nigeria, as the country grapples with the growing economic and environmental consequences of climate change.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Senator Austin Akobundu, made the commitment while delivering a welcome address on behalf of the Committee Chairman, Senator Musa Mustapha, at the High level Discourse on Climate Change and Carbon Finance held on Monday, June 15, 2026, in Accra, Ghana.

In his address, Akobundu highlighted the increasing challenges posed by climate change in Nigeria, including desertification, flooding, irregular rainfall patterns, and the displacement of communities, stressing that these issues continue to exert significant pressure on the nation’s economy and livelihoods.

He noted that emerging opportunities in carbon markets, climate funds, and green bonds present viable pathways for economic growth, job creation, and investment. According to him, Nigeria can leverage its vast forest resources, agricultural sector, and renewable energy potential to attract climate-related financing and boost sustainable development.

The senator cited Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda as examples of African countries that have successfully harnessed carbon finance initiatives to drive economic and environmental gains.

Akobundu disclosed that the Senate Committee intends to strengthen Nigeria’s carbon finance framework, mainstream climate resilience into national budgeting processes, enhance legislative oversight of climate-related investments, and facilitate greater access to international climate finance.

The high-level discourse was convened by the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) Ghana, with the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and Signox Consultancy serving as co-organisers.

Participants at the event agreed that recommendations emerging from the discourse would provide a foundation for future legislative actions and policy reforms aimed at addressing climate challenges and promoting sustainable development in Nigeria.

Declaring the event open, Senator Musa Mustapha called on stakeholders to focus on “actionable strategies” capable of transforming climate-related risks into opportunities for economic growth and national development.

The United States of America chapter of Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group, NDMG-USA, has threatened to petition a United States Democratic Law Maker of Florida House of Representative for District 14, Kimberly Daniels. Following her comments over the insecurity challenge in Nigeria, laying blame on the Minister for Defence and Sultan of Sokoto they threatened to file a petition against her.

In a statement issued on Saturday, endorsed by the President of the group in America Cosmos Collins, called her remarks, ‘deeply offensive, without evidence of proof and diplomatically careless’. They asked her to withdraw her statements, else she will face charges before the court.

Recall that the Democratic Member, Kimberly blamed the insecurity challenge on the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhj. Muhammed Sa’ad Abubarkar III, for his slothfulness in reacting to the insecurity ravaging Nigerians, and asked for the removal of the Minister of Defence for State, Bello Matawalle.

The President of the NDMG, expressed dissatisfaction over her remarks, calling it a pungent and unjust attack on the Sultan of Sokoto. They said that the Islamic cleric, plays a crucial role in ensuring peace and oneness in Nigeria.

Collins in the Statement, stated that the Sultan of Sokoto, has played roles in ensuring peace, and his voice is one that calls for morality amidst the incessant killing, kidnapping and human humiliations ongoing in his region by the alleged Jihadist Terrorist organization.

While insisting that the Sokoto Sultan plays a peaceful role, he also said that the gross insecurity in Nigeria remains a very complicated factor that can be trashed out through a collaborative effort of bodies and security agents, especially in the Northern region and lately in the South West, and parts of the South South region.

They called the statement one that can disparage the name of the Sultan nationally and internationally.

It is also worthy of note, that in this same month of April, an American citizen and founder of Africa Arise International (identified in reports as a former Mayor of Blanco City, Texas). Mike Arnold alleged that the Sultan of Sokoto is the “architect of the ongoing genocide” in Northern Nigeria, linking him to terrorism networks and alleging he brings militants into Nigeria. He further claimed the Sultan supports “jihadist genocide,” provides “safe havens” for extremists, and profits from looted minerals.

Recent videos circulating across social media platforms have painted a disturbing picture of alleged widespread attacks on black foreigners, particularly Nigerians within South Africa. The imagery, often graphic and emotionally charged, suggests a pattern of violence, destruction of property, and targeted hostility that appears both organized and relentless. If these videos are accurate and current, such developments raise grave concerns about human rights, regional stability, and the moral conscience of the African continent.

However, in an era where misinformation travels as quickly as truth, caution must guide our conclusions. Social media, while powerful, is not always reliable. Videos are frequently recycled, misattributed, or stripped of context. Incidents from years past or from unrelated locations can be repackaged as current events, thereby inflaming tensions and distorting reality. It is therefore essential to distinguish between verified reports and viral sensationalism before drawing sweeping conclusions.

Having said that, xenophobic violence in South Africa is not without precedent. Past outbreaks, most notably in 2008, 2015, and 2019 saw foreign nationals subjected to attacks, prompting international condemnation. These historical realities lend some credibility to current fears.

The apparent silence or muted response from both the South African authorities and the government of Nigeria has further fueled public frustration. Governments, in such moments, carry the burden of prompt communication. Silence, whether due to ongoing investigations, diplomatic caution, or bureaucratic delay can easily be misinterpreted as indifference or complicity. Citizens, especially those whose lives may be at risk, deserve clarity, reassurance, and decisive action.

If the reported incidents are indeed ongoing, then immediate intervention is not just desirable, it is imperative. Protection of life and property is a fundamental duty of any state. Equally, diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and South Africa must be strengthened to ensure accountability, justice, and the safety of affected communities. Dehumanizing entire populations or nations, no matter the provocation, risks deepening divisions and undermining the very unity Africa strives to build. It is important I point out that the actions of a violent minority should not define an entire people.

Africa stands at a critical juncture where unity, cooperation, and mutual respect must prevail over suspicion and hostility. Whether these videos are real, exaggerated, or entirely false, they reveal a deeper issue: a fragile trust among African nations that must be urgently repaired.
Truth must lead and those committing these atrocities must be made to face justice as quickly as possible.
Silence by the various governments especially that of South Africa and the Nigerian Government is no longer golden.

M.O. Ubani SAN
Legal Practitioner/Policy Analyst.