Key Points
- ECOWAS says climate impacts could displace about 32 million people in West Africa.
- Region’s climate financing needs are estimated at $294 billion.
- ECOWAS is developing a regional carbon market to attract climate finance.
- Nigeria backs the initiative as a way to increase climate investment.
Main Story
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says climate change could force about 32 million people in the region into internal displacement, highlighting the need for increased climate financing and regional action.
Dr Kalilou Sylla, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, disclosed this at a regional workshop in Abuja on Wednesday to validate a framework for establishing a West African carbon market platform.
Sylla, represented by Christophe Deguénon, ECOWAS Director of Environment and Natural Resources, said the region was particularly vulnerable to climate change, with temperatures projected to increase by between 1.5 and three degrees Celsius by 2050.
He said the ECOWAS regional climate financing strategy adopted in 2022 estimated the funding required to address the region’s climate needs at $294 billion.
According to him, the scale of the challenge made regional cooperation necessary, particularly as member states continue to raise their climate ambitions through updated Nationally Determined Contributions.
Sylla said West Africa had significant resources that could support the generation of carbon credits, including more than 350 million hectares of agricultural land, forest areas, mangroves and degraded landscapes with restoration potential.
He, however, said the region remained underrepresented in international carbon markets because of weaknesses in regulation, technical expertise, monitoring systems and certification.
He said ECOWAS began developing a harmonised regional carbon market framework in 2024 as part of the ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Sylla said the proposed platform would be built around transparency, environmental integrity, inclusive governance and recognition of member states’ climate efforts.
He added that the framework would support the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and help member states mobilise additional financing for their climate commitments.
The commissioner urged participants at the workshop to critically assess the draft framework and ensure that the proposed market was credible, transparent and capable of attracting investors.
Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, said West Africa faced significant climate risks despite contributing relatively little to global greenhouse gas emissions.
Represented by Iniagbon Abiola-Awe, a director in the ministry, Lawal said the region’s common climate challenges required coordinated responses.
He said Nigeria supported the creation of a regional carbon market and believed a properly designed platform could help member states attract climate investment and support nature-based solutions.
Lawal said Nigeria would work with ECOWAS, other member states and development partners to ensure the initiative produced practical benefits for economies and communities across the region.
The Issues
West Africa faces growing climate risks while struggling to mobilise the financing required to respond. ECOWAS believes a regional carbon market could help unlock climate finance by creating a more coordinated framework for generating and trading carbon credits.
What’s Being Said
“Nearly 32 million West African people could be forced into internal displacement as a result of climate impacts.” – Kalilou Sylla, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture
“We can generate high-integrity carbon credits. Yet we remain under-represented in international carbon markets.” – Kalilou Sylla
“A well-designed regional carbon market platform can strengthen the capacity of member states to attract climate investments.” – Balarabe Lawal, Minister of Environment
What’s Next
ECOWAS will continue work on the proposed regional carbon market framework following the validation process. Member states and stakeholders are expected to help refine the framework and strengthen the systems needed for credible carbon credit generation and trading.
Bottom Line
ECOWAS is looking to carbon markets as a way to close part of West Africa’s large climate financing gap. The proposed regional platform could help attract investment, but its success will depend on credible regulation, effective monitoring, technical capacity and investor confidence.
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