CBD COP17: Nigeria urges developed countries to fulfil $30bn annual biodiversity funding pledge

Nigeria has urged developed countries to fulfil their commitment to mobilise at least $20 billion annually by 2025 and $30 billion annually by 2030 to enable developing countries to effectively implement biodiversity conservation initiatives.

The Minister of Environment, Balarebe Lawal, made the call while delivering Nigeria’s national statement during the high-level segment of the ongoing 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17) in Yerevan, Armenia.

“Excellencies, as Founding Chair of the Ministerial Alliance for Ambition on Nature Finance, Nigeria continues to champion the mobilisation of adequate and predictable resources for biodiversity. We call for the fulfilment of the commitment to mobilise at least US$20 billion annually by 2025 and US$30 billion annually by 2030 for developing countries,” Mr Lawal said.

He said Nigeria was pleased to join the global community to reaffirm its collective commitment to protecting biodiversity and securing a sustainable future for present and future generations.

“Nigeria reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and our shared ambition to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030,” he said.

Nigeria’s biodiversity targets

Nigeria completed its revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2025–2030 in June 2025 and submitted it to the CBD Secretariat.

The strategy provides a national roadmap for halting and reversing biodiversity loss during its six-year implementation period.

It aligns Nigeria’s conservation priorities with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and establishes 23 national targets tailored to the country’s socioeconomic and environmental circumstances.

The targets cover critical sectors, including agriculture, forestry, infrastructure and ecosystem conservation.

The strategy also adopts a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, integrating biodiversity conservation into government policies and development planning while encouraging the participation of stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

It further emphasises private-sector accountability and environmental risk management, including efforts to help businesses assess and disclose their dependencies on nature.

Nigeria has projected an implementation budget of approximately $474 million over six years, highlighting the need to mobilise resources to address longstanding funding gaps.

Translating commitments into action

Mr Lawal urged governments and delegates to translate their biodiversity commitments into concrete action supported by adequate financing, strong partnerships and measurable results.

He said Nigeria had continued to advance implementation since COP15, including validating its revised NBSAP in June 2025, with 23 national targets aligned with the global biodiversity framework.

He added that Nigeria had submitted its Seventh National Report to strengthen implementation, monitoring and accountability.

Mr Lawal said the country remained committed to the global 30-by-30 target of conserving at least 30 per cent of the world’s land and inland waters, as well as coastal and marine areas, by 2030.

He said Nigeria was pursuing this ambition through protected-area management, ecosystem restoration and marine conservation.

“Following the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the ratification of the BBNJ Agreement, we are advancing the necessary processes to strengthen our contribution to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction,” he said.

The BBNJ Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, provides a framework for conserving and sustainably using marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Mr Lawal also said Nigeria was integrating biodiversity conservation, climate action and land restoration through the Global Environment Facility-supported Net Zero Nature Positive Project.

He stressed that effective biodiversity conservation must be inclusive and equitable, noting that Nigeria was promoting gender-responsive land governance, women’s access to land and natural resources, and their meaningful participation in environmental decision-making.

He added that the government remained committed to ensuring that women and vulnerable communities actively participated in and benefited from biodiversity conservation efforts.

Nigeria calls for stronger financing partnerships

Citing Decision 16/34 of the previous biodiversity conference, Mr Lawal advocated stronger collaboration between environment and finance ministers to integrate biodiversity considerations into national budgets, fiscal policies and development plans.

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He said international financing commitments must be delivered through predictable, accessible and additional resources, complemented by domestic resource mobilisation, private-sector investment and reforms to harmful incentives.

He also highlighted the importance of technology transfer, capacity-building and institutional strengthening, particularly for developing countries.

Nigeria, he said, was calling for greater coordination among the three Rio Conventions on biodiversity, climate change and desertification to maximise available resources, minimise duplication and accelerate implementation.

“Mr President, COP17 must mark a decisive turning point—from commitments to delivery. Our global ambition must be matched by adequate financing, equitable access to the means of implementation, gender-responsive action and measurable progress,” he said.

Mr Lawal said Nigeria was ready to strengthen international partnerships and work with other parties to achieve the shared 2030 biodiversity goals and secure a nature-positive future for all.