Efforts to mobilise climate finance and expand energy access in Nigeria took centre stage this week as policymakers and industry leaders gathered for the Parliamentarians for Climate Finance programme.
Representing Development Bank of Nigeria Plc, climate finance specialist Omosede Imohe joined a panel discussion alongside key institutions, including Oando Clean Energy and Rocky Mountain Institute, to explore how Nigeria can unlock investment for its green growth ambitions.
Speaking during the session, Imohe highlighted the urgent need to move beyond fragmented projects toward more coordinated, large-scale approaches. She noted that many green initiatives struggle to attract funding because they lack the size and structure investors require.
“Bringing projects together through industrial clusters and green energy zones can create the scale and visibility needed to make them bankable,” she explained.
Another key theme was the role of public financing. Imohe pointed to the idea of “Green Energy Constituencies,” where constituency project funds could be used to co-finance energy access initiatives. If properly structured, she said, this approach could unlock domestic capital while also attracting private sector investment across Nigeria’s local government areas.
However, she stressed that financing alone is not enough. According to Imohe, inconsistent or unclear policies remain a major barrier to sustained investment in the sector.
“Investors need certainty. Clear and credible policy frameworks are essential if Nigeria is to attract long-term capital at scale,” she said, adding that strengthening lawmakers’ understanding of climate finance is critical to achieving this goal.
The programme underscored the growing recognition that bridging the gap between policy ambition and practical investment will be key to Nigeria’s energy transition. For stakeholders, the message was clear: unlocking climate finance will require not just funding, but stronger coordination, better project structuring, and a stable policy environment.