The NDC Partnership:

The NDC Partnership is a global coalition of countries and institutions collaborating to drive transformational climate action through sustainable development. In 2015, the world endorsed the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Nations signal their commitments to the Paris Agreement through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – each country’s strategy to cut its own greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience against the negative effects of a changing climate. The Partnership advances the goals of the Paris Agreement by bringing together nearly 200 countries and institutions in new ways to accelerate NDC implementation and enhance ambition over time. The Partnership’s work through 120 partners supporting almost 80 countries produces many examples of impact, lessons learned and ideas for the future. The Partnership is governed by a Steering Committee, co-chaired by two country representatives. The Partnership’s work is facilitated by a Support Unit based at World Resources Institute in Washington DC and the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. UNOPS supports the NDC Partnership and its Support Unit through the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC).

Country Context

As part of its commitment to the global goals of the Paris Agreement, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) updated and published its revised NDC in 2021, with an ambitious plan to accelerate climate action. This comprehensive NDC entails a 20% reduction in emissions compared to the Business-As-Usual (BAU) projection by 2030. With international backing, the ambition is higher, 47% compared to BAU, an increase from the previous 45% target set in the 2015 NDC. Through this process, the FGN coordinated with a range of partners through the NDC Partnership, with active coordination and guidance of the Partnership’s focal points: the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), the International Economic Relations Department (IERD) in the Federal Ministry of Finance, and International Cooperation Department in the Ministry of Budget and National Planning .

To implement the NDC, Nigeria has developed an NDC Implementation Framework (NDC IF) with an estimated cost of approximately US$ 189 billion for the seven-year period of 2023-2030. The water, energy, and AFOLU sectors alone will require an estimated US$ 173 Billion. Out of the total estimated cost, 37% is allocated towards adaptation measures, 35% is for mitigation measures, and roughly 28% covers co-benefits measures (measures with adaptation and mitigation co-benefits. The Framework has been aligned to all key climate and development policies and targets and is linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This NDC Implementation Framework would be a central tool by which to mobilize development partners and coordinate multiple stakeholders towards the collective tracking and reporting on the goals of the NDCs. In addition, the FGN will ensure the alignment with other commitments including the Climate Change Act, LT-LEDS, National Development Plan, Energy Transition Plan, and the Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan. The responsibility for the effective implementation of the NDCs rests on the secretariat of the National Council on Climate Change under the Climate Change Act 2021.

To strengthen resource mobilisation for climate change and technical capacity on climate finance, the National Council on Climate Change and the International Economic Relations Department in the Federal Ministry of Finance have requested the NDC Partnership provide a Climate Investment Developer to work with NCCC. The NCCC needs technical support to engage sectors to develop systemic and programmatic investments for financing climate action based on the NDC Implementation Framework and other NDC related activities. This requested support will build national capacity to prepare investment packages from the identified projects across the NDC sectors that can be submitted to potential funding sources to attract climate finance and generate impact.

The following responsibilities are part of the incumbent role:

1. Conduct a rapid mapping of ongoing, planned, and new climate investment related projects/programs led by line ministries, sub-nationals, and within the private sector and development and implementing partners, to better understand the availability of existing support. The NDC Implementation Framework is a starting point in addition to working closely with the NDC in country facilitator and the climate finance expert. Draft an inception report with a clear work plan based on mapping exercise and activities required by government.
2. Conduct initial due diligence of project proposals and assessment of bankability, sharing results in a brief due diligence report.
3. Conduct mapping and identify potential sources of finance including climate finance or blended finance windows and de-risking mechanisms.
4. Lead the development of suitable funding project concept notes proposals and submit to access project preparation facilities.
5. Identify and prioritise climate investment projects that are being readied for finance.
6. Organise and support the National Council on Climate Change, the International Economic Relations Department and International Cooperation Department (ICD), to convene at least two climate finance investor roundtables/ coordination meetings around climate financing.
7. Develop a pipeline of climate finance investment projects, by soliciting input from the line ministries and other expertise from agencies within the government and private sector.
8. Identify potential sources of finance including climate finance or blended finance windows and de-risking mechanisms.
9. Lead the development of suitable funding concepts and proposals to access project preparation facilities, including at least 3 programme concept notes developed and aligned with potential project preparation facilities for further development, with the objective of at least one programme proposal finalised and having accessed funding.
10. Provide technical support to NCCC, IERD and ICD to actively promote low carbon and climate resilient investments and conduct analysis of enabling investment environment for such investments.
11. Liaising with the NCCC and ICD to Identifying NDC related projects from the National Infrastructure Master Plan and facilitating access to potential funding sources.
12. Work closely with the Climate Finance Expert towards integration of climate related projects in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Public Investment Programming and National Budget.
13. Provide technical expertise in the government’s efforts toward issuing the third green bond, establishment of the National Climate Green Fund and other several climate finance instruments to provide solutions to fund green projects.
14. Support capacity building for national experts in salient aspects of climate finance through on-the-job training and coaching, including at least 30 government staff trained in project/programme proposal development.
15. Share monthly and quarterly reports on progress in each of the activities conducted.