The Federal Government has obtained a €275 million funding deal to fast-track the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) and support broader environmental sustainability programs aimed at tackling climate change and restoring degraded land nationwide.
Environment Minister Balarabe Lawal disclosed the development during a Government–Citizens Engagement forum in Kaduna, hosted by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation under the theme “Evaluating Campaign Promises: Strengthening Citizen–Government Dialogue for National Cohesion.”
Lawal explained that €175 million of the package is earmarked specifically for advancing NEWMAP initiatives, while the rest will be allocated to complementary green projects.
He also revealed that the government has concluded arrangements to introduce a National Flood Insurance Policy and increase the National Sovereign Green Bond to ₦250 billion to support climate-resilient infrastructure and development.
The Minister emphasized that his ministry is intensifying efforts to safeguard the environment and bolster food production, particularly across Nigeria’s northern states.
“We are advancing efforts to deploy Forest Rangers across the 19 northern states and the FCT to secure our forests and eliminate criminal activities,” he stated.
He underscored the government’s dedication to tackling desertification and expanding forest cover by planting more than 5.5 million trees under the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) and the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) initiative.
In preparation for the 2025 planting season, the Forest Research Institute of Nigeria is producing 10 million drought-tolerant seedlings.
As part of broader reforestation plans, five million date palm and 3.85 million neem seedlings are being raised for distribution across the 11 frontline states affected by desert encroachment.
To combat the southward spread of the Sahara, 175 kilometers of shelterbelts have been established in seven northern states, while 278,235 hectares of degraded land have been rehabilitated.
To reduce reliance on timber, the Minister also announced that the government is actively encouraging the use of bamboo as an eco-friendly alternative.
“The Bamboo Factory established in Kogi State has created over 20,000 jobs, developing a strong bamboo and rattan economy,” Lawal said.
To support eco-tourism, protect biodiversity, and generate employment, the Federal Government has assumed control of three national parks—Kampe, Marhai, and Hadejia Wetlands—while plans are underway to transfer management of four more parks in Kano, Plateau, Niger, and Katsina.
Lawal further revealed that there have been major upgrades to the country’s flood and erosion early warning infrastructure. “Our flood alert system now covers 258 communities with 90 percent accuracy, reducing loss of life and property,” he said.
He added that a total of 198 flood and erosion mitigation projects have been completed across the country, including the Jibia River Bank Protection covering 1,812 hectares, the desilting of 182,780 hectares along the Hadejia River, and the restoration of 29,622 hectares in the Nguru Wetlands.
The Minister announced that ₦12 billion has been allocated to 9,648 beneficiaries across 16 northern states through agricultural value chain programmes aimed at boosting rural livelihoods.
To enhance food security and increase farming efficiency, the government has provided tractors, fertilizers, and milling machines to farmers.
As part of efforts to embrace a circular economy, Lawal said the implementation of the Circular Economy Roadmap has created more than two million new jobs nationwide.
He also highlighted the launch of a $2.9 million Plastic Polyethylene Facility in Idu, Abuja, which currently engages 550,000 waste pickers—primarily women—earning an average monthly income of ₦75,000 across Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara states.
In advancing climate solutions, the government has introduced a National Clean Cooking Policy, with the goal of distributing clean cookstoves to 20 million households in northern Nigeria. This initiative is backed by a ₦50 billion Green Bond, underscoring the country’s commitment to eco-friendly growth and sustainable development.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Comments are closed.