Climate Change DG, Nkiruka Madueke, Faces Backlash Over Alleged Abuse Of Power At UN Climate Meeting

A storm is brewing in Nigeria’s climate change community — not from rising temperatures or sea levels, but from within its leadership. Dr. Nkiruka Chidia Madueke, Director General of the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS), is under intense scrutiny over what critics describe as an abuse of office and a damaging display of arrogance at the ongoing 62nd Session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bonn, Germany.

Dr. Madueke, who turned 40 on May 27, 2025, is Nigeria’s chief climate envoy and the sole authority responsible for accrediting delegates to global climate events. However, her conduct at the Bonn session has sparked outrage among Nigerian delegates, who accuse her of gatekeeping and sabotaging the participation of relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

According to multiple sources at the conference, several Nigerian delegates were denied access to the session after Dr. Madueke refused to process or approve their accreditation — even when the official UNFCCC registration desk intervened. Her reported response was terse and unapologetic: “We have already accredited our nominees. Accreditation in Nigeria has closed, and I am unable to do anything else, unfortunately.”

This stance contradicted ongoing UNFCCC registration efforts, which continue daily to accommodate official government delegations. The situation raised eyebrows among both Nigerian participants and international officials, with one UNFCCC staffer asking anonymously, “Does this woman work for the Nigerian government or for herself?”

The controversy in Bonn adds to a growing list of troubling episodes in Dr. Madueke’s year-long tenure. At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, last November, she reportedly clashed with senior Nigerian officials in an incident that sources say reached the Presidency. “She was literally on her knees, begging to save her job after her rudeness in Baku became the talk of Nigeria’s delegation,” said a senior government insider.

Many within the environment and climate community now describe her leadership as toxic and exclusionary. A senior official in the Federal Ministry of Environment lamented, “She behaves as though she’s above ministers. She even claimed once that she reports directly to the President and not to the Chief of Staff. That tells you the kind of ego we’re dealing with.”

Critics argue that Dr. Madueke’s leadership style undermines Nigeria’s efforts on the global climate stage. What was once a collaborative process involving key MDAs is now described as a one-woman show — opaque, uncoordinated, and increasingly dysfunctional. “There’s no doubt she’s brilliant,” said a former diplomat familiar with Nigeria’s climate delegations. “But brilliance without teamwork is a liability. She’s alienating the very people who should be allies.”

The damage, many fear, extends beyond individual egos. With critical issues such as emissions targets, climate financing, and energy transition on the global agenda, Nigeria’s credibility and influence at international climate forums are at stake. “Multiple government arms have important climate-related portfolios,” said a policy expert. “They must be encouraged to engage meaningfully at international meetings to inform and support Nigeria’s positions.”

Insiders say Abuja is already taking note. A dossier outlining Dr. Madueke’s recent conduct is reportedly circulating among top government officials, prompting calls for an urgent review of her leadership. Whether this leads to a dismissal or a forced change in approach remains unclear.

What is certain, however, is that Nigeria’s climate diplomacy is at a crossroads. At a time when global unity is essential to combat climate change, the nation can ill afford internal discord and personality-driven obstruction. This is not just a test of policy — but one of leadership, accountability, and institutional integrity.