Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has made a passionate appeal to BRICS nations to champion urgent global action on climate change and health inequity. Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Brasília, Tuggar presented Nigeria’s vision for a sustainable, inclusive future.
Tuggar stressed that the intertwined crises of a warming planet and unequal healthcare access can no longer be ignored. “The climate emergency heeds no borders. Just like global healthcare, we solve our problems best when we work together,” he told delegates.
Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse emissions, Africa faces some of the worst consequences of climate change. Tuggar cited devastating floods in Mokwa, advancing desertification in Nigeria’s north, and rising sea levels in the Niger Delta as immediate threats to livelihoods and national stability.
“Climate change is not a ‘tomorrow problem’ for Nigeria,” he declared, offering condolences to victims of recent disasters while highlighting the country’s investments in hydroelectric, solar, and reforestation projects. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s backing for the African Carbon Market and Great Green Wall initiatives.
Calling on BRICS countries to increase climate finance support, Tuggar argued that economic growth and environmental responsibility must go hand-in-hand. “COP30 must face the challenge of enabling the Global South to develop while safeguarding our shared planet,” he said.
On global health, Tuggar warned that inequities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic demand urgent systemic reforms. “Would so many children still die of malaria if this were a level playing field?” he asked. He proposed deeper South-South cooperation through regional vaccine hubs, biotechnology research, and skills transfer to combat climate-induced health crises.
Nigeria’s Long-Term Vision 2050, Tuggar noted, integrates renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and urban resilience into national development planning. He urged BRICS to partner in achieving universal health coverage, climate justice, and robust pandemic preparedness frameworks.
Concluding his address, Tuggar called on COP30 and BRICS leaders to move beyond what he termed “sterile and toothless diplomacy,” advocating for a practical, collaborative model. “Nigeria believes in solidarity—but recognizes that nothing helps us help ourselves better than working together,” he said.
