Foundation lauds Kaduna’s Q1 climate spending, urges equitable funding in Q2

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Civic Impact for Sustainable Development Foundation has lauded the Kaduna State Government for its strong performance on climate-related spending in the first quarter of 2026, while urging for a more equitable distribution of funds in the second quarter to support adaptation efforts.
In a press statement signed by its Executive Director, Yusuf Ishaku Goje, the Foundation noted that the state achieved an overall performance of 28.79% in climate-related expenditures, exceeding the 25% benchmark for the first quarter.
The fiscal commitment, it said, strengthens Kaduna’s position as a leader in subnational climate governance, following its 3rd-place finish in the 2025 Subnational Climate Governance Performance Ranking by the Society for Planet and Prosperity.
Nevertheless, the Foundation noted that a closer look at fund distribution revealed a significant gap between mitigation and adaptation projects. Its analysis of 13 MDAs and 163 tracked projects indicated that mitigation projects received N4.2 billion, representing 41.62% performance, while adaptation projects received only N549.8 million, or 8.58% performance.
Goje expressed concern about the concentration of funds, noting that a single budget line, the Provision of Solar Electricity in the Education Sector, received N3.53 billion.
This amount exceeds its own N2 billion budget by 76.6% and accounts for 74.31% of total climate-related releases for the quarter.
The Foundation added that 9 out of the 13 tracked MDAs recorded no budget releases for their climate projects in Q1. This, it said, hindered vital interventions in agriculture, disaster management, and water and sanitation.
Neither the Ministry of Agriculture nor the Kaduna State Agriculture Development Agency received any releases for projects such as solar-powered irrigation and dry-season wheat production.
Similarly, the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, received no funding for eco-restoration or climate-proofing critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, RUWASSA, saw no releases for the construction or rehabilitation of solar-powered boreholes.
Goje emphasized that addressing climate change requires a balanced portfolio of interventions. While praising the investment in solar energy for education as a good mitigation strategy, he warned that it should not come at the expense of the state’s ability to respond to immediate ecological challenges.
The Foundation therefore urged the Kaduna State Government to focus more on adaptation by increasing cash-backed releases for the 31 adaptation projects crucial to food security and disaster prevention. It also called on the government to ensure inclusivity among MDAs by rectifying the zero-release status of key agencies like SEMA, RUWASSA, and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Additionally, it recommended that the state diversify its spending and distribute the N16.5 billion tracked budget more evenly to address the diverse needs of Kaduna’s environment and its residents.
“Kaduna State has the potential to become a global model for subnational climate action. By ensuring that the second quarter budget releases are fair, transparent, and balanced, the government can turn its policy commitments into real protection for its most vulnerable citizens,” Goje stated.
“Nigeria should be fairly and equitably treated.”
The former NNPCL Finance Chief who commended the people of the area for reposing tremendous confidence in him, vowed to live above board if finally elected.