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Nigeria to implement robust MRV system to boost its carbon market – EnviroNews
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Mrs. Omotenioye Majekodunmi, Director General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, during a high-level roundtable meeting her organisation hosted in collaboration with the European Union. She stated that the plan aims to attract large-scale private investment into the country’s climate sector.
Everything appears to be in place as Nigeria moves to enhance the integrity of its growing carbon market by implementing strong Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems.
The DG, who was represented at the occasion by Mr. Michael Ivenso, Director of Energy, Transportation, and Infrastructure at the NCCC, reiterated the Nigeria’s determination to ensure that carbon markets transform the country’s climate obligations into meaningful economic prospects.
“Carbon markets are only as strong as the integrity of the underlying credits,” she stated, underlining that Nigeria would not tolerate a carbon market lacking transparency, credibility, and environmental integrity.
According to her, Nigeria is making a lot of effort to ensure that carbon projects provide tangible, extra, and long-lasting mitigation results while also promoting environmental preservation, community development, and equitable returns for investors and project developers.
Mrs. Majekodunmi clarified that carbon markets were not a solution to Nigeria’s development and climate problems, but she maintained that they might be a significant driver of sustainable development if they were backed by openness, reliable MRV systems, and robust stakeholder cooperation.
Therefore, the NCCC chief urged participants at the programme to move beyond discussion and develop an actionable and time-bound roadmap capable of positioning Nigeria as a leading destination for high-integrity carbon investment in Africa.
“A major component of the new approach is the operationalisation of a unified and interoperable national carbon registry,” the DG said.
She noted that the register will offer a digital record of all carbon credits earned, issued, transferred, and retired in Nigeria to help prevent double-counting and strengthening the integrity of carbon transactions.
The council’s boss hinted further that her establishment also plans to accelerate the adoption of digital MRV technologies, including remote sensing, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, geospatial data and distributed ledger technologies. These technologies are expected to reduce the cost and time required to verify carbon projects while improving the accuracy and reliability of emissions data.
“Frameworks on paper do not trade carbon—transparent and verifiable data does,” the DG noted, describing MRV as the backbone of a credible carbon market.
Mrs. Majekodunmi explained that without effective MRV systems, buyers would be unable to determine whether claimed emissions reductions were genuine, regulators would face difficulties tracking emissions and safeguarding against double-counting, while communities could struggle to monitor benefit-sharing arrangements.
Head of Section, Green and Digital Economy EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Yolanda San Jose says carbon markets are playing an increasingly important role in supporting emissions reductions, mobilising finance, and encouraging investment.
“To do so effectively, however, they must be underpinned by credible systems that ensure transparency, accountability, and environmental integrity,” Ms. Jose said.
She observed that, for Nigeria, the development of a strong national carbon market system is both imperative and a significant opportunity and would help align climate targets with development priorities, support investment, and create an enabling environment for a low-carbon future.
According to her, the European Union is pleased to support this process in partnership with Nigeria.
“We consistently stand for credibility and integrity, but we also recognise the investment value of well-functioning carbon markets, where Nigerian and European interests can converge,” she said. “We believe that today’s dialogue, followed by strong national ownership, is essential to building effective climate policies and lasting business relationships.”
Representing the Ministry of Environment Mrs. Halima Bawa-Buhari said the ministry is working towards a partnership that leads to a robust MRV system that will result in a carbon market of high integrity and contribute significantly to Securing Nigeria’s Forest Future (SNFF) financing roadmap.
She underscored that the forestry sector is central to Nigeria’s climate response because forests are carbon sinks, temperature buffers, reducing natural disaster risks, important sources of livelihoods, and primary sources of human food and pharmacy, among others.
“This forest and its resources do so by providing carbon storage, biodiversity, soil protection, water regulation, and other ecosystem services, supporting millions of Nigerians, particularly rural and forest-dependent communities,” Bawa-Buhari stated.
By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja