The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) has intensified afforestation efforts in frontline states as part of its 10th anniversary in reversing desertification and restoring degraded lands in the North.
Director-General of the NAGGW, Saleh Abubakar, made this known on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at Maimalari community in Yusufari Local Government Area of Yobe State while inaugurating a large-scale tree planting campaign.
Inauguration of the large-scale tree planting campaign in Yobe
He said the benefiting states include: Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara, with each state expected to receive no fewer than 800,000 seedlings.
“We are here to introduce a new and modern method of tree planting for you to adopt and apply in your farms and homes in order to combat desertification,” he said.
He explained that the agency would provide five million improved varieties of date palm and another five million assorted seedlings for distribution across the 11 frontline states threatened by desert encroachment.
He urged the communities to take ownership of the trees and ensure their survival beyond the planting stage.
“Each date palm tree can yield up to 100kg of fruits annually. This project is not just about protecting the environment, but also empowering communities economically,” he added.
In his remarks, Gov, Mai Mala of Yobe commended the agency’s efforts and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to supporting environmental restoration.
Buni, represented by the Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Sidi Yakubu Karasuwa, said the issue of desertification needed more commitment and action.
He described the collaboration between Yobe and the NGGW as a decade-long partnership that has yielded visible results in land reclamation and sustainable land use.
Also speaking, the Emir of Bade, Alhaji Abubakar Suleiman, described the campaign as timely, pointing out that communities in northern Yobe were severely affected by advancing sand dunes from the Sahara desert.
“The Sahara is fast approaching. The only way to stop this desert encroachment is by planting trees,” the royal father said.
He urged members of the community to take responsibility for the trees planted in their areas, especially by ensuring adequate watering after the rainy season using boreholes.
The emir warned against the felling of trees, stressing that such acts would be met with strict sanctions.
“If you cannot plant, do not cut. Anyone who cuts down trees will face the law.
“In my emirate, we prosecute offenders, and I recommend the same for other communities,” he said.
The NAGGW was established as Nigeria’s response to the African Union’s Great Green Wall initiative, aimed at halting the southward expansion of the Sahara through afforestation, land rehabilitation, and community mobilisation.
In a sweeping deregulatory move, the Trump administration has proposed scrapping the Endangerment Finding, a foundation of U.S. climate policy that enabled federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants, by setting emissions standards.
First established in 2009 by Barack Obama’s government, the Endangerment Finding declared that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health and welfare. The ruling, based on a 2007 Supreme Court decision, gave the EPA legal authority to regulate emissions from cars, power plants, and industrial sources under the Clean Air Act.
Lee Zeldin, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Now, under EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, the agency is seeking to overturn the finding. Calling it “the largest deregulatory action in the history of America” on a recent conservative podcast, Zeldin characterised the move as a rejection of “the holy grail of the climate change religion.”
If finalised, the repeal would gut the federal government’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, including the rollback of vehicle emissions standards and methane limits on oil and gas operations. It would also severely restrict future administrations from enacting similar protections. The finding was a key justification behind the Biden Administration’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate which has been a key issue of opposition for Trump.
The administration argues that the Clean Air Act was never intended to regulate global climate pollutants, suggesting instead that EPA authority should be limited to pollution with local or regional health impacts. This interpretation, however, has been widely dismissed by legal scholars and environmental experts.
Critics warn the proposal could have catastrophic environmental and legal consequences. Former EPA officials, including Republicans, have condemned the move as a betrayal of the agency’s mission. Climate scientists emphasise that eliminating the Endangerment Finding undermines decades of research linking emissions to rising global temperatures, extreme weather, and public health risks.
Whilst the proposal is expected to face significant legal challenges, experts caution that the mere attempt could delay climate action and weaken existing protections. A public comment period is now underway whereby the public can issue their thoughts on the proposal, before any final decision is made.
New statistics published on Thursday, July31, 2025, by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero confirm that renewable energy accounted for over half of the UK’s total electricity generation for the first time last year.
The Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics (DUKES) is the annual energy statistics publication produced by DESNZ. It provides a comprehensive overview of the production and consumption of each energy type within the UK, as well as the energy mix as a whole.
Renewable energy
In 2024, the share of UK electricity generation from renewable technologies reached a new record high of 50.4%, up from 46.5% in 2023. Wind generation hit a new record, solar output matched last year’s all-time high, and bioenergy generation rose by 17%.
Total renewable generation in 2024 reached a record 143.7 GWh, representing a 5.1% increase on 2023. This growth was driven by new capacity and a rebound in generation from plant biomass, which had been suppressed in 2022 and 2023 due to reduced output at two major sites.
Renewable capacity grew by 7.3% (4.1 GW) in 2024. Half of this new capacity came from solar PV, while the rest was primarily from onshore and offshore wind projects.
Wind power remained the UK’s largest source of clean electricity, generating 29.2% of total electricity in 2024 (a new record of 83.3 TWh), surpassing the previous high of 28.1% (82.3 TWh) in 2023. Wind accounted for 58% of all renewable electricity generation last year.
At the same time, fossil fuel generation fell to a record low of 31.8%, with coal generation coming to a complete stop in September 2024. Gas remained the UK’s primary source of electricity, contributing 30.4%, narrowly ahead of wind’s 29.2% share.
Total UK energy production declined to a new record low in 2024, down 6% from 2023. Oil and gas production both fell to their lowest levels in the 21st century, reflecting the ongoing decline of the UK’s mature production basin.
Commenting on the statistics, RenewableUK’s Deputy Chief Executive, Jane Cooper, said: “As today’s record-breaking figures show, renewables now account for the majority of our electricity generation and stand firmly as the backbone of the UK’s energy system. This is good news for billpayers, as renewables provide electricity at stable prices. Now we need to make sure we don’t just continue to build new wind, solar and nuclear plants, but we reform our electricity markets and grid so that billpayers can get maximum benefit from the clean energy rollout.
“We have a golden opportunity to build on this historic milestone by attracting record levels of investment in wind and solar farms in this year’s clean energy auction, which will open next week. Up to £53 billion in private investment could be secured this year to in new offshore wind projects alone.”
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has called on the Nigerian Senate to extend its ongoing efforts to combat crude oil theft by holding International Oil Companies (IOCs), particularly Shell and Eni, fully accountable for decades of environmental degradation, economic sabotage, and human rights violations in the Niger Delta.
The Nigerian Senate
Reacting to the recent meeting between the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, HEDA in a statement signed by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, welcomed the renewed legislative attention to oil-related crimes but insisted that justice must go beyond addressing local theft.
“While we commend the Senate for stepping up collaboration with security agencies to tackle oil theft, the deeper and more enduring theft is the environmental and economic plunder by IOCs. These companies including Shell and Eni in particular are attempting to exit Nigerian onshore quietly, divesting their assets without taking responsibility for the massive devastation they have caused. That is unacceptable,” Suraju maintained.
The Senate Committee, led by Senator Ned Nwoko, recently emphasised the need for enhanced intelligence sharing and stronger coordination with security agencies to safeguard Nigeria’s oil infrastructure. However, HEDA insists that securing oil assets is only one part of the equation.
“Justice for Niger Delta residents cannot be secured by police action alone, if the Senate truly wants to end economic sabotage, then it must also tackle the longstanding impunity of oil multinationals who, for decades, operated with little regard for the environment or the people.” Suraju added.
HEDA recalled its consistent advocacy against hasty divestment by IOCs. The organisation petitioned both Nigerian authorities and international accountability institutions to demand that IOCs remediate polluted sites and compensate affected communities before divesting. This demand was repeated in 2023 and 2024 following international legal rulings against the Shell. Yet, concrete local action remains grossly inadequate, stated the group.
“It’s time for the Nigerian Senate to show the same urgency in enforcing environmental justice as it is doing in curbing oil theft, communities in Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and beyond continue to suffer the health, economic, and ecological consequences of oil extraction and they must not be abandoned again,” Suraju stressed.
According to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), between 2002 and 2025, Nigeria lost over 353 million barrels of crude oil worth an estimated $25.7 billion to theft. HEDA warns that the Senate must also investigate how much more has been lost to pollution, displacement, and corporate irresponsibility.
“This is a defining moment, the Senate must rise above politics and protect the dignity and rights of the people. Shell and Eni must not be allowed to walk away without cleaning up their mess. Anything less is an injustice,” Suraju concluded.
Prof. Ali Akanbi of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Ilorin, has called for a unified global intervention to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
He made the call on Thursday, July 31, 2025, in Ilorin during the university’s 288th Inaugural Lecture, titled “The Pandemic of Antimicrobial Resistance and the Experience of a Clinical Microbiologist.”
Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a natural process where microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to become resistant to the drugs designed to kill them
According to him, international collaboration is essential to drive research into new antimicrobials, diagnostics, and alternative therapies.
He also stressed the importance of harmonising policies and regulations across countries to combat the spread of AMR.
According to Akanbi, microbes are microscopic living organisms, some of which, like viruses, can only be seen with specialised electron microscopes.
He identified five major categories of microorganisms: bacteria, algae, protozoa, fungi, and viruses, noting that many were airborne and more difficult to avoid than to detect.
“Medical microbiology, a significant branch of medical science, focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases.
“This field helps healthcare professionals identify pathogens, develop targeted therapies, and control the spread of infections,” he said.
He warned that antimicrobial resistance was a global health crisis largely driven by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in both medical and community settings.
“AMR leads to increased difficulty in treating infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.
“It is also contributing to rising morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs, with projections suggesting that AMR could surpass other leading causes of death by 2050,” he said.
Akanbi emphasised that tackling AMR required a multifaceted approach, rational antibiotic use, effective infection prevention and control, the development of new drugs and diagnostic tools, and strengthened global cooperation and governance.
Next week, governments from around the world will gather in Geneva for what may be one of the most consequential environmental negotiations of our generation: the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) for a Global Plastic Treaty.
As the world edges closer to finalising a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, Nigeria must be ready not only to stand with ambition but to act on it. Whatever is decided in Geneva will shape the way our communities, our governments, and our future generations deal with plastic for decades to come.
Plastic waste pollution in the Philippines
A bold treaty agreement that addresses plastics throughout their entire life cycle will bring significant benefits to Nigeria. It will enable us to move beyond our current patchwork of waste management strategies and establish a comprehensive national approach that includes upstream actions aimed at reducing plastic production and consumption at the source, and investing in effective solutions like reuse and refill systems.
1. Strengthening Our National Policy Where It Matters Most
Nigeria’s National Policy on Plastic Waste, launched in 2020, was a step forward – but its strength mainly lies in downstream waste management. The policy offers guidance on addressing the symptoms of plastic pollution but provides little to prevent the root cause: the overproduction and overconsumption of single-use plastic.
An ambitious plastic treaty would provide Nigeria with a crucial global framework to align with, focusing on upstream solutions like design standards, reuse targets, and restrictions on problematic polymers. It would drive the necessary revision of our national policy, strengthening measures before plastic even enters the market.
2. Reinvigorating State-Level Action and Correcting Course
Subnational leadership is critical in a federal system like Nigeria’s. While the national government can set the tone, implementation happens in our states and communities.
Lagos, for instance, has been a pioneer. As Africa’s most populous city and economic powerhouse, Lagos developed a subnational policy on plastic pollution with clear aspirations. But that leadership has too often been undermined by the promotion of outdated and false solutions, including costly waste-to-energy incineration schemes that are being phased out in many developed countries due to their environmental, health, and economic drawbacks.
Rather than trap us in dirty technologies of the past, the treaty can provide clarity, accountability, and funding for real solutions – ones that reduce plastic production, incentivize reuse, and protect public health.
This is where the Local and Subnational Government Coalition, launched under the treaty process and already supported by over 100 local governments worldwide, becomes so critical. With our states’ active participation, the Coalition’s momentum can translate into real policy shifts across our 36 states. It provides a platform for peer learning, global collaboration, and aligning local actions with global ambitions.
A Model That Works: Ondo State’s Reuse Leadership
If you’re looking for what local impact could truly look like in Nigeria, look no further than Ondo State. In 2025, the state launched the Ondo State Reuse Working Group (SRWG), a multi-stakeholder platform that brings together policymakers, academia, entrepreneurs, civil society, informal workers, and development banks to co-develop inclusive reuse systems.
In just a short time, the SRWG has created a roadmap to mainstream reuse and refill solutions across the state, supported grassroots innovation, engaged local governments and informal sectors, and piloted community-driven models that reduce plastic use while boosting local livelihoods. The Group’s work demonstrates how state-level coordination rooted in reuse, equity, and circular economy principles can become a blueprint for others.
The SRWG shows that ending plastic pollution doesn’t have to mean job losses or economic hardship. On the contrary, it can drive green jobs, support youth and women entrepreneurs, and build resilient local economies. But scaling this kind of work across Nigeria requires enabling national policies, subnational coordination, and global financial support, all of which the plastic treaty can help unlock.
3. Unlocking Finance and Innovation for the Informal Sector
One of the most promising aspects of the treaty negotiations is the push for a financial mechanism, including options like a polymer fee that would require plastic producers to contribute to a global fund for implementation.
This is not just about climate justice, it’s about practical support. Nigeria, like many developing countries, cannot bear the costs of transition alone. If the treaty includes strong financial provisions, it could unlock predictable and fair funding to support the transition to circular systems, especially for informal waste workers who are the backbone of our current recycling efforts.
With the right support, Nigeria could build inclusive, formalized systems that elevate waste pickers into entrepreneurs, cooperatives, and essential service providers, while also reducing our reliance on single-use plastics. It would also help deliver on our climate goals, reduce toxic exposure, and improve public health.
The Moment is Now!
From Lagos to Ondo, and from Abuja to Geneva, the plastic pollution crisis connects us all, but so does the opportunity to solve it.
A bold plastic treaty will not solve all of Nigeria’s challenges overnight. But it can create the framework, the resources, and the momentum we need to reimagine our plastic systems from the ground up. It can give our national and state governments the tools and backing to shift away from plastic dependency, empower youth and women-led reuse innovations, and transition the informal sector into the champions of a new circular economy.
The world is watching Geneva. But here in Nigeria, we should be preparing to lead.
The road to Geneva is not just about plastic, it’s about justice, jobs, and a just transition. If the right deal is struck, Nigeria will be better equipped to leap from plastic pollution crisis to reuse-powered transformation.
It’s time for the global community to deliver and for Nigeria to rise!
Let’s not miss this chance.
ByAhmed Tiamiyu,Executive Director, Community Action Against Plastic Waste (CAPws)
The Nigeria Association of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Practitioners (NARAP) has set aside July 31 every year, code-named NARAP Day, as a day to celebrate practitioners in the refrigeration and air-conditioning space.
Speaking at the inaugural celebration on Thursday, July 31, 2025, in Lagos, Ahmed Ibrahim, NARAP’s National President, said this year’s event which coincides with the World Refrigeration Day would henceforth be a yearly event.
Members of NARAP
Ibrahim also noted that the event resonates with the theme of this year’s World Refrigeration Day which is “Cool Skills”, especially considering the fact that an election was held within the association last year and the annual event will enable members to keep tabs with latest developments within the association, which will enable it to chart a new cause going forward.
“Most importantly as a key stakeholder in the minimum energy efficiency campaign being embarked upon by the Federal Government, NARAP members have been collaborating in ensuring that compliance with the low energy efficient air conditioners, this we will continue to do for desired results to be achieved,” he submitted.
Alex Abiodun Okelola, Lagos State Coordinator of NARAP, noted that the yearly event would afford leaders of the association the opportunity to address key challenges within the industry because, according to him, all members across the country will have the opportunity to sit under the same roof and deliberate on how to take the association to the next level which will impact positively on the association at large.
Okelola however appealed for robust partnership and collaboration between the government and refrigeration and air conditioning companies to liaise with practitioners to enable seamless activities within the industry.
“As the association is growing, we appeal to the government to improve on the support being rendered to us by way of providing the recovery machine as we are seeing the fading off of R22, R12 and the likes, because we are still having those gases in the market, government needs to come in here by making sure that we don’t experience such in the market any longer.
“I am using this medium to appeal to those unregistered practitioners to come and join the association so that they will be trained on the job and accredited to work as qualified practitioners,” he pleaded.
In his submission, Dr. Leslie Adogame, Executive Director, SRADeV Nigeria, noted that the NARAP event, organised to mark this year’s World Refrigeration Day, is very important because Nigeria is a signatory to the Montreal Protocol.
Adogame stressed: “The protocol, as you know, has to do with ozone depletion substances. Now the refrigerators we have currently today in Nigeria are refrigerators containing a lot of what you call high global warming potential chemicals (HCFCs) and because of the global movement to phase out these chemicals, technicians like NARAP are a major skill stakeholder, so we are initiating a project where in Nigeria, where we are supporting the National Zone Office of the Federal Ministry of Environment to build capacity of NARAP members to the possibility of professionalising members of the association to be able to fix new refrigerators that are coming into the country, that’s the Montreal Protocol under the Kigali Implementation Plan recommends.
“Very soon, the Federal Minister of Environment through the National Ozone Office will be launching the Kigali Implementation Plan, and we are supporting that process,” stressed the SRADeV Nigeria’s Executive Director.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday, July 31, 2025, appointed Omotenioye Majekodunmi as the new Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC).
She replaces Dr. Nkiruka Madueke, who served as the pioneer Director-General from June 2024.
Omotenioye “Teni” Majekodunmi
Teni Majekodunmi is a highly regarded climate finance expert and environmental lawyer with over 17 years of experience. Her career spans international and domestic work in renewable energy, carbon markets, and sustainable development.
Before her appointment, she served as the Financial Adviser to the NCCC, where she played a critical role in shaping Nigeria’s climate finance strategies, supporting international negotiations, and developing mechanisms for accessing global climate funds.
She is also the founder and CEO of Ecoxchange, a consultancy firm known for its work on sustainability initiatives, including waste-to-energy solutions and advisory roles on carbon credit projects.
As Director-General, Majekodunmi is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the Climate Change Act and coordinating national climate policy across all sectors. Her appointment aligns with the federal government’s commitment to leveraging climate action as a tool for economic growth, national security, and social inclusion.
She is expected to focus on mobilising international climate finance, strengthening carbon market readiness, and advancing policy that supports Nigeria’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The President, according to State House officials, thanks the outgoing Director-General for her dedicated service and foundation for the Council’s continued growth.
“Majekodunmi’s appointment reaffirms the Tinubu administration’s commitment to tackling climate change as both an environmental necessity and a driver of sustainable economic growth, national security, and social inclusion,” they added.
The Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal, on Friday, August 1, 2025, inaugurated the Chairmen and Members of the Governing Boards of seven agencies under the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja.
Lawal said the appointments reflect the Federal Government’s commitment to prioritising environmental governance as a critical pillar of national development.
The Minister with newly appointed chairman and members of the Governing Boards of seven agencies under the Federal Ministry of Environment
“Your selection to serve on these Boards reflects the administration’s strategic prioritisation of environmental governance as a pillar of national development.
“The agencies under your oversight serve as critical tools and institutional anchors for Nigeria’s response to both domestic and international environmental obligations,” he said.
The minister listed the core mandates of the agencies to include climate action, pollution and waste management, environmental compliance and enforcement, as well as forest, biodiversity, and ecosystem conservation.
He charged the newly inaugurated members to ensure policy coherence, provide strategic direction to management, and promote institutional effectiveness and good governance.
Lawal emphasised the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between governance and management roles, in line with public service reforms and enabling laws.
He also tasked them to guarantee compliance, transparency, and operational efficiency in discharging their oversight functions.
“Your leadership is crucial in mainstreaming environmental priorities into sectoral policies and development planning at both the federal and sub-national levels,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the appointees, Sen. Magnus Abe, Chairman of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, pledged their commitment to delivering on their mandate.
He assured that the agencies under their purview would align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration.
“It is our responsibility to ensure a marked improvement in how these agencies operate. We will deliver to the satisfaction of the President and the Nigerian people,” Abe said.
Also, Mr. Michael Etaba, Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, urged the new board members to urgently address the country’s environmental challenges.
The chairmen inaugurated include Sen. Magnus Abe for the National Agency for the Great Green Wall and Ma’azu Rijai for the National Biosafety Management Agency.
Others are Garba Datti for the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, and Ibrahim El-Sudi for the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria.
Also inaugurated were Abdulmalik Usman for the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Chief Edward Omo-Erewa for the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, and Dr Kingsley Ononogbu for the National Park Service.
