Institutional challenges to developing a Nigerian climate policy

Abstract

This paper discusses the structural basis and practice of creating a climate policy framework in Nigeria. The roles of existing and planned institutions and legal frameworks are discussed, as well as how they foster or hinder the design of policies and implementation of climate responses at the domestic and international levels. Data has been collected between autumn 2009 and spring 2010. The paper combines literature review with empirical data from interviews of various actors in the Nigerian climate policy process. Various actors including the federal and state governments, civil society and private sector interest groups as well as the Nigerian oil sector are working conjointly on the elaboration of political frameworks and on the realisation of a multitude of individual projects focused on climate change. The paper examines the role of the institutional framework compassing this multitude of stakeholders for the creation of a sustainable climate policy in Nigeria, thereby discussing and referring to literature on institutional governance in the environment sector and institutional change for sustainability. Currently, there is a lack of cohesion between political initiatives and institutions, and a weak implementation of environmental laws and directives. Although becoming a topic of increasing political interest, a policy framework on climate change is still nonexistent for Nigeria – caused not least by diverging lines of interest between participating institutions. The paper shows that once awareness about climate change has been created, there is a danger of the proliferation of institutions and actors addressing the various dimensions of climate change. This proliferation highlights the lack of coordination between various government entities and their struggle to gain/retain influence over the national climate policy, thereby slowing down the design and implementation of responses to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Suggestions are made on how the barriers to climate policy development and implementation in Nigeria can be overcome.