BRICS 2025, Nigeria Calls on Leaders to Lead the Global Push for Climate Justice and Health Equity.
By Raymond Enoch
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has urged BRICS nations to take the lead in advancing a transformative global agenda that addresses the intertwined crises of climate change and health inequity.
Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian delegation, Amb. Tuggar delivered his remarks during a high-level engagement ahead of COP30.
In a statement made available to the press and, signed by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, underscored Nigeria’s call for bold, collective action from BRICS nations to drive real progress in climate and health diplomacy.
Amb. Tuggar emphasized that planetary health and human well-being are inseparable and must be treated as such. “The climate emergency heeds no borders. Just like global healthcare, we fix our own problems when we work together,” he said.
Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, Africa—particularly Nigeria—is bearing the brunt of climate change. Tuggar highlighted recent devastating floods in Mokwa, advancing desertification in the northern regions, and rising sea levels in the Niger Delta, all of which are impacting lives, economies, and ecosystems.
“Climate change is not a ‘tomorrow problem’ for Nigeria,” he stated, while expressing condolences to victims of recent natural disasters. He outlined Nigeria’s growing investments in hydro and solar energy, reaffirming commitment to continental initiatives such as the African Carbon Market and the Great Green Wall.
Calling for increased climate finance, Tuggar appealed to BRICS members to support the Global South in pursuing ambitious climate goals without sacrificing economic development. “COP30 must rise to the challenge of enabling growth while advancing our shared responsibility to confront climate change,” he said.
On global health, the Minister called for a complete overhaul of international health systems in light of the deep inequities revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Would so many children still die of malaria if this were a level playing field?” he asked. “COVID-19 was a tragedy, but also a warning.”
Tuggar reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening South-South health diplomacy, through regional vaccine hubs, genomics research, and skills transfer initiatives. These, he said, are essential to preventing future climate-driven health crises and achieving universal access to healthcare.
He also laid out Nigeria’s Long-Term Vision 2050, which integrates renewable energy, urban resilience, sustainable agriculture, and reforestation into national development planning. The strategy includes knowledge-sharing partnerships with nations across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
“Nigeria has always met its obligations under the Paris Agreement,” he affirmed, calling for deeper BRICS collaboration to advance climate justice, universal health coverage, and pandemic preparedness.
In closing, Tuggar urged COP30 to transcend “sterile and toothless diplomacy,” and challenged BRICS to offer a bold new framework for tackling global challenges. “Nigeria believes in solidarity, but we also recognize self-interest—and nothing helps us help ourselves more than working together,” he concluded.
