On 12th March 2025, the African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) formalized its partnership with the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The collaboration aims to strengthen engagement at the intersection of climate change, law, and policy while supporting efforts to enhance legal capacity in addressing emerging climate challenges. The partnership reflects a shared commitment between AGNES and NIALS to advance research, knowledge exchange, and capacity building that can support effective climate governance across Africa.
The AGNES team, led by the Team Lead, Dr George Wamukoya OGW, together with Prof Raymond Kasei (Board member) and Shadrack Arum (Research Officer- Capacity Building Workstream), visited the NIALS to formalize the collaboration following a series of engagements between the two institutions.
Discussions focused on key areas of mutual interest, including climate change governance, the legal and policy dimensions of carbon markets, and the need to strengthen the capacity of the legal fraternity to effectively engage with emerging climate issues.
Strengthening Legal Capacity for Climate Governance
Through this collaboration, AGNES and NIALS will advance initiatives to strengthen legal expertise on climate change and its evolving policy landscape. The partnership will support the design and delivery of both academic and professional training programmes covering key areas such as climate change law, climate litigation, carbon markets, and legal frameworks that enable effective climate action. These programmes will be tailored to a diverse range of professionals, including members of the judiciary, legal practitioners, and actors within the executive and legislative branches of government.
Looking Ahead
The collaboration is expected to contribute to building stronger legal foundations for climate action while supporting broader efforts to enhance climate governance across the continent. AGNES looks forward to working closely with NIALS to advance shared priorities in research, knowledge exchange, and capacity development in the field of climate change, law, and policy.