COP30: NGOs warn Nigeria’ V.P Shetimma, ‘Nature Not for Sale’
By Samuel Ogunsona
Environmental rights organizations in Africa have raised concerns over Vice President Kashim Shettima’s call for new finance mechanisms to harness the economic value of nature.
According to the groups, this approach would undermine true climate justice and prioritize corporate interests over the rights and aspirations of Nigerian citizens.
The joint statement signed by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Lekeh Development Foundation, Social Action, and other partners committed to ecological justice and climate action, described the proposal as a “concerning misinterpretation of true climate justice”.
The groups argue that monetizing Nigeria’s natural assets would reduce nature to a mere economic asset, encouraging the financialization of the environment and turning ecosystems into speculative commodities traded for profit.
This approach, they warn, would lead to the destruction of ecosystems, displacement of local communities, and erosion of national sovereignty.
“We find this framing deeply troubling because it reduces nature – our collective heritage and source of life – to a mere economic asset,” the statement reads.
“Such schemes have historically led to the destruction of ecosystems, as they prioritize financial returns over preservation.”
The organizations urge Nigeria to prioritize renewable energy, agroecology, and community-led conservation practices that protect biodiversity while ensuring food sovereignty and resilience.
They emphasize the importance of inclusive dialogue and people-centered climate action rooted in justice, equity, and the protection of human and environmental rights.
“True climate justice demands that nature remains a shared trust, not a tradable commodity,” the statement concludes. “It is the duty of the State to safeguard the environment, human culture, and dignity, not to exploit them in pursuit of inhuman market interests.”
