TEDxPortHarcourt props up Garden City as Nigeria’s climate change centre
…As NDDC announces buildup of carbon credit
Port Harcourt has emerged as the driving city for Nigeria’s climate change activities. This was unveiled at the TEDxPortHarcourt Countdown 2025 event which has just been concluded. This is as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has enumerated actions it has been taking to build up its carbon credit.
Organisers said TEDxPortHarcourt was inspiring climate action and local solutions for a sustainable future.
The recently concluded ‘TEDxPortHarcourt Countdown’ was said to have gathered thought leaders, innovators, creatives, and climate champions in an inspiring call to action for a more sustainable and resilient planet.
Hosted at the EUI Center, Port Harcourt, the event brought the global TED Countdown initiative to the heart of the Niger Delta, spotlighting bold ideas and local innovations driving climate action in Nigeria.
With the theme; “Climate Action Now: Local Solutions, Global Impact,” TEDxPortHarcourt Countdown was indicated to have served as a powerful platform to reimagine how communities, businesses, and individuals can contribute to reducing carbon emissions and building a greener future.
The event featured a dynamic lineup of speakers and performers who shared actionable ideas spanning renewable energy, sustainable living, environmental justice, creative advocacy, circular economy, and youth-led innovation. Attendees were challenged to move beyond awareness toward measurable action and collaboration.
Thus, Port Harcourt may lead Nigeria’s charge for climate change activities that may build up carbon credit for the nation.
This may be why top organisations and others in the oil region including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), TotalEnergies, Renaissance Africa Energy, technexus, Border Community Development Agency, and some volunteers joined to sponsor TEDxPort Harcourt with focus on driving climate change.
Read also: NDDC’s skills training scheme unleashes 300 Niger Delta youths for oil industry jobs
The NDDC in particular led in strong propositions as well as activities and projects already building up carbon credit including the massive solar-powered street and community lighting project, their reforestation and reclamation schemes.
The recently concluded ‘TEDxPortHarcourt Countdown’ thus gathered thought leaders, innovators, creatives, and climate champions in an inspiring call to action for a more sustainable and resilient planet.
“This is more than a talk series; it’s a movement,” said Donald Okudu, Curator and Primary Licensee of TEDxPortHarcourt.
The emphasis appeared to be on how Port Harcourt can lead Nigeria’s climate action. Okudu said: “The Countdown initiative reminds us that climate change is not a distant issue, it’s a present reality that requires bold, local responses. Port Harcourt has the potential to lead Nigeria’s climate transformation through innovation, storytelling, and community-driven action.”
Many observers at the event recalled Port Harcourt’s footprint in environment struggles and climate change advocacy with some ugly encounters including the hanging of the Ogoni 9, the Saro Wiwa global impact on environment matters, the eventual $1bn Ogoni clean up, the calls for a Niger Delta clean up, the soot echo, etc.
The event also featured immersive experiences like interactive exhibitions showcasing sustainable products and green technologies. Networking Sessions fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors.
It unveiled creative performances that used art, poetry, and music to inspire climate consciousness.
Participants left the event empowered to take tangible steps toward sustainability — from lifestyle changes to community projects and enterprise innovations.
“Countdown is a global initiative, but its impact begins locally,” said Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director, NDDC.
He said: “By amplifying voices from the Niger Delta, we’re redefining what climate leadership looks like in Africa.”
He also showed the intentionality of climate change actions by the Commission and the many gains recorded so far with Light up Niger Delta, return of the mangrove, reforestation, channelisation schemes, etc.
According to the organisers, TEDxPortHarcourt Countdown 2025 was made possible through the support of partners and a passionate organizing team said to be committed to fostering dialogue and driving environmental responsibility in the region.
Ogbuku, whose speech was presented by Victor Antai, the NDDC executive director (projects), said Port Harcourt zone is both an energy hub and a region at the frontline of climate and environmental challenges.
The mission is: “To facilitate the rapid, even and sustainable development of the Niger Delta into a region that is economically prosperous, socially stable, ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful.”
He said: “In the search for solutions, solar power is gaining traction as a potential silver bullet to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and save the environment.”
The CEO said the NDDC is already contributing in different ways to tackle the global problem. He mentioned what he called a groundbreaking initiative. “The heart of this transformation lies in solar-powered streetlights, a beacon of progress revolutionising how people live and work, with ripple effects extending far beyond the streets they illuminate.”
