Environmental activist Nnimmo Bassey says Nigeria faces a critical climate moment and must abandon fossil fuel dependence to avoid deeper ecological and economic damage. He urged universities to lead the country’s transition to sustainable development.
Bassey, director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, spoke at the 2026 World Environment Day event at Igbinedion University, Edo State. He delivered a keynote titled “Now for Climate: Nigeria’s Moment, Edo’s Opportunity – Universities at the Vanguard of the Climate Transition.”
“Climate action is no longer something that can be postponed,” Bassey said. “The future has already arrived. ‘Now for Climate’ leaves no room for procrastination or the propagation of false solutions.”
He described climate change as the “epicentre of a global polycrisis” driving biodiversity loss, food insecurity, displacement and inequality. Despite Paris Agreement targets to cap warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius, he said global inaction is making the goal unattainable.
Citing floods, coastal erosion, desertification and declining farm yields, Bassey argued Nigeria is already paying for climate inaction. He noted Africa emits only 2-3 per cent of global greenhouse gases but suffers disproportionate impacts.
“The communities most exposed to climate impacts are often those with the fewest resources to adapt,” he said. He called for climate discussions anchored on justice and the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities.
Bassey criticised decades of oil and gas extraction in the Niger Delta, citing oil spills, gas flaring and contaminated water and farmlands. He cautioned that the shift to renewables must be equitable.
“The transition away from fossil fuels is necessary, but it must be just,” he said. “It must not simply replace fossil fuel colonialism with green colonialism.”
On Edo State, Bassey said its forests and biodiversity are key ecological assets for sustainable development but warned of threats from illegal logging, extractive activities and forest degradation. He called for protection and restoration of forest reserves as critical carbon sinks.
He tasked universities to go beyond academics and become hubs for innovation, policy influence and community engagement. “Every student graduating today will enter a world shaped by climate realities,” he said. “The question is whether our universities are prepared to lead.”
Bassey pushed for climate literacy across all disciplines and for research aligned with local needs in agroecology, renewable energy, water management and adaptation. He said campuses should model sustainability through clean energy, waste reduction and ecosystem restoration.
He also urged stronger ties between academia and local communities, saying indigenous knowledge is vital to climate solutions. Universities, he added, should interrogate “green” projects that mask exploitative practices.
“Nigeria has a moment before it. Edo State has an opportunity before it. Igbinedion University has a responsibility before her,” Bassey said. “The question is whether we will act with the courage, wisdom and commitment that this moment demands.”
