Osinbajo, World Bank chief discuss climate change, energy access

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday 12 November 2021 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, received Dr Mari Pangestu, World Bank Managing Director of Development, Policy and Partnerships.

Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, who spoke with State House correspondents after the meeting, said it was Pangestu’s first visit to Nigeria.

Akande added that it was her first country visit outside of Washington DC since she was appointed in March.

The spokesman said the duo discussed a number of issues especially around climate change and energy access.

“Of course, she gave a brief to the vice president talking about climate change, some of the outcomes of COP26.

“The vice president stated some of the things that President Muhammadu Buhari said especially the fact that Nigeria could likely meet the target by 2050, but more realistically; 2060.

“The vice president restated that in Nigeria, as in other developing countries, there are challenges of climate change but there are also challenges of energy access,’’ Akande said.

He said Osinbajo expressed concern that as Nigeria and other developing countries were dealing with climate change, they were also dealing with the critical issue of energy access.

Akande said the World Bank managing director agreed that the international community would take that kind of dual strategy to deal with the issue.

He said that Pangestu also implied in her comments that developing countries needed assistance in the transition to net zero emission.

“She also mentioned the fact that that issue of the help that developing countries require in order to attain net zero emission is quite important,’’ Akande said.

President Buhari, had on Nov.2, while addressing the COP26, Leaders’ Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, pledged that Nigeria would cut its emissions to net zero by 2060.

By Chijioke Okoronkwo