Environmental experts, under the aegis of the Academic Associates Peace Works (AAPW), have warned that several coastal communities in the Niger Delta region may disappear by 2050 if environmental protection laws are not enforced.
Coastal erosion in Lagos
The Executive Director of the group, Dr Judith Asuni, made the remark during a workshop themed, “Conflicts in Coastal Communities,” in Port Harcourt, on Monday, April 28, 2025.
She said that the workshop was organised by the group and funded by the European Union through the C7 project.
She noted that climate change had a devastating impact on the Niger Delta.
Asuni said that the rising sea levels and frequent flooding had fueled communal conflicts, displaced residents, and intensified competition over dwindling resources.
“Displacement has triggered recurrent land disputes and increased communal tensions in this region,” she said.
Asuni urged government at all levels to take urgent action to enforce environmental protection laws and mitigate the impacts of climate change on coastal communities.
Also speaking, Mrs. Nkoyo Toyo, the Deputy Director, AAPW, emphasised the urgent need to enforce environmental laws to address land encroachment, loss of aquatic biodiversity, and climate-induced migration in the Niger Delta region.
Toyo noted that the coastal region, spanning hundreds of kilometers, was a fragile ecosystem under threat from multiple angles, with climate change being a critical factor.
She attributed environmental degradation to unregulated practices of oil companies and the failure to regulate emissions and enforce environmental standards.
By Precious Akutamadu
Toyo explained that environmental degradation contributed to migration and scarcity of resources, heightening the risk of violent conflict.
“When people are displaced and resources become scarce, tensions rise, making it impossible to address conflict without addressing environmental and climate issues,” she added.
Toyo called for a holistic approach to environmental enforcement, involving community leaders, policymakers, and security agencies.
She cited traditional conservation practices, such as seasonal bans on fishing, as examples of grassroots efforts that are being undermined by external actors.
She noted that leveraging on the potentials of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) for infrastructure development could protect vulnerable communities from the impacts of sea level rise and flooding.
Also Mrs Nimi Elele, representing the Rivers State Ministry of Environment’s Climate Change Desk, warned that entire communities in the Niger Delta region could vanish unless urgent measures were taken to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Elele noted that sea-level rising during the rainy season led to severe flooding, damaging infrastructure and forcing people to migrate inland.
According to her, damage of infrastructure and inland migration increases social risks, including child molestation and sexual abuse.
“Fishing yields have dropped significantly, pushing many coastal dwellers into poverty and hunger.
‘’If urgent action like public awareness campaign to educate residents on the causes and consequences of climate change and implementation of policies are not taken, we are bound for extinction,” she said.
Participants from Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers who attended the workshop, called for government immediate action.
Top United Nations (UN) officials on Monday, April 28, 2025, in New York called for urgent action to rescue the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and revive international cooperation.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Speaking at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) annual forum on financing for development, they warned that a staggering 4 trillion dollars annual financing gap threatened global development goals.
The officials: UN Secretary-General, António Guterres; President, General Assembly Philémon Yang; and President, ECOSOC, Bob Rae, stressed the need for more resources and a global financial overhaul.
Without an effective response, they stressed, the world risked falling even further behind on ending poverty, fighting climate change, and building new sustainable economies.
Last week, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) held Spring Meetings where global growth, trade tensions and the rising debt burden in developing countries were front and centre.
“This year’s ECOSOC Forum comes at a pivotal time,” Guterres told delegates, warning that global cooperation itself was under threat.
He pointed to rising trade tensions as a major risk, noting that fair trade was a clear example of the benefits of international collaboration.
Guterres said the surge in trade barriers posed a “clear and present danger” to the global economy.
He said this was evident in recent downgrades to global growth forecasts by the IMF, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and UN economists.
“In a trade war, everybody loses – especially the most vulnerable countries and people, who are hit the hardest,” he said.
Guterres highlighted how many donors were pulling back from aid commitments while soaring borrowing costs drained public investments, putting the SDGs “dramatically off track.”
“With just five years to reach the SDGs, we need to shift into overdrive,” he stressed.
UN chief urged countries to deliver bold outcomes at the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, in Seville, Spain.
“Against this turbulent background, we cannot let our financing for development ambitions get swept away,” Guterres stated.
ECOSOC President Bob Rae echoed these concerns, emphasising that over three billion people live in countries where governments spend more on interest payments than on health or education.
“We desperately need a more affordable debt architecture – it’s that simple,” he said.
Rae called for urgent reforms that would allow countries a fair chance to repay what they owed while investing in their futures.
He also sounded the alarm over rising trade barriers citing recent moves by major economies, like the United States, to impose new tariffs.
“Trade is not a four-letter word, it is a positive way for countries to exchange goods and services and emerge from poverty,” Rae said.
He urged countries not to see trade as a zero-sum game, where there are only winners and losers.
Rae admonished them to embrace fair, open trading systems as a path to shared prosperity.
General Assembly President Philémon Yang underscored the consequences of rising debts and shrinking fiscal space.
According to him, in more than 50 developing countries, governments now spend over 10 per cent of their revenues on debt servicing.
The UN economist said that in 17 of them, debt servicing gulps over 20 per cent, which is a clear warning sign of default.
“Our inability to reform the international financial architecture is severely restricting capital access,” Yang warned.
He stressed that closing the financing gap now estimated at over 4 trillion dollars annually was critical to achieving the SDGs.
“Time is of the essence. Let us use this ECOSOC Forum to bridge divides, build trust, and lay the foundation for success,” he said.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are all interconnected, for instance progress on SDG 2 to end hunger is closely tied to advances in health and education.
As negotiations continue towards an agreed outcome in Seville, Secretary-General Guterres highlighted three priority areas.
They include tackling unsustainable debt, strengthening multilateral development banks and unlocking new streams of sustainable finance.
He called for mobilising more domestic resources, innovative financing solutions, better controls on illicit financial flows and stronger partnerships with the private sector.
ECOSOC President Rae added that the conversation must move beyond declarations to concrete, measurable action.
“We need innovation, creativity and partnerships that deliver lasting and transformative impact,” he said.
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development will hold from June 30 to July 3, 2025, in Seville, Spain.
It represents a critical opportunity to rebuild the global financial system to unleash the investments urgently needed to achieve the SDGs.
With Nigeria’s mounting issues, whether in education or health, there is no doubt that the Non-profit as Service (NASS) initiative is a game changer that has given hope to many, particularly young people in the country.
Participants at Servelead Humanitarian Initiative’s Social Impact Roundtable 3.0 in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja
This project, initiated by Servelead Humanitarian Initiative (SHI), strives to go beyond discussions and dive into action, thereby promoting social impact by supporting several persons in realising their ambitions. It accomplishes this by bringing together leaders from various sectors who have been doing outstanding work to address these problems.
In accordance with the scheme’s objectives, the non-profit organisation dedicated to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through empowerment initiatives and community development projects held the third NASS Social Impact Roundtable in Abuja on Friday, April 25, 2025, with a focus on how to use cutting-edge technologies as solutions to some of the issues that many Nigerians face.
Several activities were held throughout the programme, such as the investiture of three new Global NASS Ambassadors, including Dr. Linus Okorie, Chief Executive Officer of GOTNI Leadership Centre.
Princess Alugwe, the organisation’s Director of Operations, told EnviroNews on the sidelines of the event that one of the driving forces behind each roundtable is the creation of a policy and position paper that informs relevant stakeholders about the best way forward.
Challenges and solutions
Given the massive obstructions that plague the nation’s social space, Alugwe believes that what her organisation is doing through the NASS initiative is an excellent response to the current crisis.
Numerous Nigerians have brilliant ideas that could improve societal effect, but they are constrained by a lack of resources and the high operating costs. Because SHI is well aware of this issue, it established NASS as a platform to assist individuals, non-profit groups, and the government in bridging that gap.
The theme of the 3.0 edition of the social impact roundtable, “Innovating for Impact: Sustainable Solutions for a Better Future”, was actually influenced by the knowledge of these deficiencies and the necessity to look for solutions to reduce them. The goal is to call attention to low-tech innovation, such as developing educational tips and material utilising USSD and other apps that can be implemented in different communities to ensure that persons living there have access, learn more, and gain a better awareness of the world.
“What NAAS does is help reduce that operational cost, connecting you with various other organisations and strategic partners across the globe and raising funds for a better impact,” the SHI director of operations explained.
The Minister of Youth Development, Engr. Ayodele Olawande, said it is critical to be open and honest about the problems facing humanity, claiming that young people in Nigeria and a large portion of the continent deal with declining opportunities, increasing unemployment, and restricted access to high-quality education.
For him, the NASS project and the 3.0 social impact roundtable are something more than just a celebration of progress; they are a reaffirmation of stakeholders’ shared commitment to driving meaningful change across numerous communities in Nigeria and beyond.
“They are at a pivotal crossroads, and the choices we make today will shape their futures,” he said.
But within every challenge lies opportunity. The minister, who was represented at the occasion by Obinna Nwaka, the Director General, Committee on Youth Mobilisation and Sensitisation, elaborated that the rise of technology offers a powerful tool for transformation.
Initiatives like those led by Servelead, Engr. Olawande added, particularly in digital literacy and access to clean water, are already laying the foundation for a better tomorrow.
“It is up to us to build on that foundation and scale our efforts so that no one is left behind,” he urged.
He said today’s roundtable is a chance to move beyond conversation into collaboration and urged everyone to speak openly, share boldly, and think innovatively.
According to him, his vision for the youth is bold yet simple: a future where they are not just recipients of support but active architects of change. So, there is a need to build an ecosystem that gives them access to quality education, mentorship, digital tools, and resources that ignite their potential and fuel their aspirations.
The minister ended his remarks by assuring that the renewed hope administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Ministry of Youth Development are committed to ensuring Nigerian youth are self-reliant and given a sense of belonging through various programmes and activities of the ministry.
Way forward
Some of the social gaps that are impeding the nation’s social progress are brought on by the widespread presumption that one knows the concerns that vulnerable communities confront without reaching out to them directly to find out what their actual problems are. In order to determine the actual requirements and areas in which these communities require assistance, a needs assessment must be conducted.
Additionally, boosting the hearts. Many people in Nigeria are going through a lot. Aside from simply providing solutions, it is critical to maintain a personal touch when dealing with various communities and groups.
“I think that is what I will do differently, because personally, as Princess, I don’t really see many solutions that are being provided,” Alugwe stated.
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) on Monday, April 28, 2025, signed grant agreements with nine renewable energy companies to provide electricity access to 17.5 million Nigerians.
A solar mini-grid system
The companies are Privida Power Limited, Baobab Plus, Salpha Energy, Asolar, NTA-StarTimes, A4&T Power Solutions, Sunking Greenlight Planet, Bboxx, and D.Light.
The development marks the first signing under the World Bank-funded Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) project, following its official launch in 2024.
“This initiative also contributes to the broader Mission 300, a global effort to deliver energy access to 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030, as Nigeria advances toward achieving universal electricity access,” REA said.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Abuja, the Managing Director of REA, Abba Aliyu, said the project aimed to electrify 17.5 million Nigerians by deploying 1,350 mini-grids.
He explained that the interconnected mini-grids being deployed were intended to enhance the reliability of electricity supply to Bands D and E customers, while also expanding access to underserved communities.
Aliyu said the project’s implementation was divided into two components: “Deployment of mini-grids (both isolated and interconnected), and deployment of solar home systems.”
He stated that 198 sites had already been submitted under the project, projecting an estimated 340,000 new connections and the addition of 47 megawatts of clean, reliable electricity to the national grid.
“The 11 sites we are signing with Privida Power Limited alone will add over 2.5 megawatts of reliable energy, resulting in an additional 11,000 connections,” he said.
“Meanwhile, eight companies will deploy 1.6 million solar home systems across rural areas.”
According to him, this effort demonstrates REA’s commitment to scaling up access to electricity and tackling the challenges in Nigeria’s power sector.
He noted that the government, under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, was aggressively addressing the nation’s electricity challenges.
“The issue of 18 million Nigerians without access to electricity will soon be a thing of the past, thanks to interventions like DARES and other REA projects,” Aliyu added.
“Today’s signing is not just a contract; it is a commitment to communities long underserved by conventional infrastructure.”
Also speaking, Mr Olufemi Akinyelure, Head of the Nigeria Electrification Programme (NEP), emphasised the broader impact of the initiative.
“Every connection made under DARES represents a doorway to education, healthcare, commerce, and inclusion,” he said.
“The over 11,027 new connections to be delivered under this project symbolise lives transformed, futures energised, and a Nigeria that leaves no one behind.”
He noted that partnerships like these served as a blueprint for achieving Nigeria’s national energy access goals.
Akinyelure explained that DARES, a key initiative under NEP, was structured to catalyse the off-grid energy market through targeted grant support for mini-grid and standalone solar projects.
“These renewable energy solutions are crucial for providing reliable and affordable electricity to off-grid communities, unlocking their potential for social and economic advancement,” he said.
Under the Performance-Based Grant sub-component for isolated mini-grids, Privida Power Limited secured a grant to deploy solar mini-grids across 11 communities in Kogi, providing over 11,027 new connections.
In addition, the eight other companies under the Standalone Solar Systems (SAS) component signed agreements to roll out Tier 1 and Tier 2 plug-and-play solar solutions for households and MSMEs to expand energy access across rural Nigeria.
Speaking on behalf of the companies, Mr William Akalume, Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Privida Power Limited, expressed commitment to the project.
“We are committed to the success of this project and appreciate the REA for the impactful work they are doing to improve the lives of Nigerians,” he said.
Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to workplace safety, employee wellbeing, and innovation, as it marked the 22nd observance of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, established by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
SEEPCO workers observing the World Safety Day
SEEPCO, one of Africa’s fastest-growing oil exploration and production companies, commemorated the occasion with a week-long series of activities under the theme “Revolutionising Health and Safety: The Role of AI and Digitalisation at Work.”
The celebrations, which concluded on April 26, 2025, ahead of the global observance on April 28, emphasised the evolving role of technology and digital solutions in enhancing workplace safety.
Throughout the week, employees across SEEPCO’s operational locations actively participated in various activities, including a health walk, a themed lecture on AI in workplace safety, leadership demonstrations, safety engagement sessions, and health talks promoting physical wellbeing and raising awareness about site-specific health challenges.
Aligned with its Health, Safety, Environment, and Fire (HSEF) objectives, SEEPCO’s safety teams had previously through the year 2024 conducted impactful campaigns, covering construction work safety, working at heights, fire drills, confined space entry protocols, alcohol testing for accident prevention, and seasonal campaigns such as protection against lightning strikes.
On the concluding day of this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work, SEEPCO also emphasised on its way forward with a comprehensive digital transformation of its health and safety systems to drive operational excellence and proactive risk management.
In the coming weeks, the company will roll out additional technology-driven platforms, including a real-time digital incident reporting system, a digital Unsafe Act and Unsafe Condition (UAUC) reporting tool, and a streamlined e-Permit to Work (PTW) system, all designed to enhance transparency, compliance, and responsiveness.
This transformation will be achieved through advanced HSEF (Health, Safety, Environment, and Fire) data analytics, artificial intelligence, and predictive monitoring, strengthening SEEPCO’s ability to anticipate and prevent incidents while empowering employees to play an active role in building a safer, smarter workplace.
These initiatives are not just about automation; they are about empowerment, giving every employee the tools to make better decisions, prevent harm, and continuously improve.
Reinforcing its focus on professional development, SEEPCO provided specialised safety training through internationally accredited agencies.
Notably, a National Training Course on Nucleonic Gauging Equipment, Well Logging, Waste Management, and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs) was conducted at the National Institute of Radiation Protection and Research (NIRPR), University of Ibadan, certifying employees as Radiation Safety Officers (RSOs).
Further advancing its environmental sustainability agenda, SEEPCO organised Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Management Awareness Training for around 50 employees, building internal capacity for effective GHG management and compliance with emerging environmental regulations.
As part of its commitment to emergency preparedness, SEEPCO collaborated with the Lagos State Fire Service for a joint emergency drill, strengthening inter-agency coordination and ensuring robust readiness for critical situations.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, SEEPCO’s spokesperson emphasised: “At SEEPCO, safety is not just a priority; it is our value. We are embracing innovation and digitalisation to revolutionise our approach to health and safety. Our commitment is unwavering – to protect lives, enhance wellbeing, and build a resilient workforce for the future.”
Since its establishment in 2003, Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) has embedded safety into the core of its operations across Nigeria. The company continues to drive operational excellence while contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth and championing a future where safety, technology, and sustainability are deeply intertwined.
“Remarkably, SEEPCO is among the few producing companies out of more than 70 successful bidders that signed PSCs’ during Nigeria’s 2005 licensing round to achieve first oil within a record time of just two years. SEEPCO’s journey has been marked by numerous challenges, operating in the tough terrains of its allotted Oil Mining Licenses and blocks.
“However, through perseverance and consistent commitment, the company has stood resilient against all odds. SEEPCO today stands proudly as one of the fastest-growing oil exploration and production companies in Africa,” the company remarked.
As the month of April 2025 comes to an end, there is need to recall and reflect on messages from three of some of the world’s most significant annual global environmentally related observances namely: World Wetlands Day (February 2), World Water Day (March 22), and Earth Day (April 22).
A scene within Ghana’s Densu Ramsar Site, where community members are engaged in a thriving artisanal fisheries industry. This demonstrates that a healthy and vibrant wetland is a source of livelihood for local community members
They unfolded with a unifying message: the urgent need to restore natural ecosystems, combat climate change, and protect the life-supporting systems of the earth.
From wetlands conservation and water management to renewable energy advocacy, their 2025 themes reflect a growing global consensus that environmentally related actions are not just about saving nature, but about promoting human wellbeing and resilience for all.
Earth Day: Accelerating the Renewable Revolution
Earth Day 2025, the most recently observed of the Days, boldly called for a worldwide transition to clean, renewable energy by tripling global renewable electricity generation by 2030. With fossil fuel emissions driving the climate crisis, Earth Day activists urged leaders to prioritise solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal and other sustainable energy sources.
The campaign also spotlighted environmental justice, demanding that no community be left behind in the global shift to a green economy.
Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Astrid Schomaker, used the occasion to remind the international community of how Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), including youth, women and children, have lived in harmony with Mother Earth for millennia.
She was concerned that “today they are among those most affected by the environmental crises afflicting the planet”.
Ms. Schomaker noted that the practices and innovations of IPLCs constitute a wealth of traditional knowledge that is crucial for global efforts to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and to address climate change. She continued that such role of IPLCs is recognized in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (the KMGBF), adopted at COP 15 in Montreal in December 2022.
The framework acknowledges “indigenous peoples and local communities as custodians of biodiversity and as partners in its conservation, restoration and sustainable use”.
Water Day: Preserve glaciers to secure global fresh water sources
World Water Day 2025 highlighted the critical role glaciers play in sustaining freshwater supplies for drinking, agriculture, industry, ecosystems and the global water system.
Glaciers are accumulated ice and snow that slowly flows from high elevated areas down mountainsides into valleys and across lands. Glaciers store almost 70% of Earth’s freshwater, acting as natural reservoirs that release meltwater essential for various human and ecological needs.
However, global warming has led to accelerated glacier melting with 2023 witnessing over 600 gigatons of water loss – the highest in the past 50 years, according to the Global Water Partnership. This rapid unprecedented melting is disrupting the water cycle, leading to more unpredictable and extreme weather patterns including increased incidences of floods, droughts, landslides and sea-level rise.
This, says UN-Water, “is endangering billions of people and countless ecosystems as well as threatening water security”. In Ghana and for the rest of the West African sub-region, the 2025 World Water Day served as reminder that although glaciers may be remote, they are an essential component of the water cycle, nourishing our rivers and lakes.
Therefore, their disappearance, also means less water for consumption by the population, less water for industrial development, a lower hydroelectric energy generation capacity, and less water for agriculture.
So, the national durbar to celebrate the Day in Accra, was an occasion to resound the call for all hands-on deck, to conserve Ghana’s water resources and ensure that every Ghanaian has access to this life-giving resource.
Reflecting over the Day’s national theme: “Water Conservation: Let’s Make It Our Way of Life”, Deputy Minister of Works, Housing, and Water Resources, Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, said “it is a wakeup call for all Ghanaians to intensify their commitment to reversing the deterioration of the country’s water bodies”.
The Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Adam Mutawakilu, urged Ghanaians to renew their commitment to protect and conserve the nation’s fresh water resources.
“This is because of the reality that our water resources are not infinite, therefore, urgent action is required to ensure sustainability,” he stated.
Re-echoing similar sentiments, Acting Executive Director of the Water Resources Commission (WRC), Dr. Bob Alfa, was concerned that water availability for Ghanaians was way below the minimum annual requirement.
“Currently, the water resources per capita is about 1700 m3/cap/yr. This is well below the minimum threshold per capita of 1900 m3/cap/yr,” Dr. Alfa stated, adding that, “this is largely due to the combine effects of climate change and pollution resulting largely from illegal mining”.
Wetlands Day: Protecting wetlands for man’s sustainable welfare
The Day’s celebration underscored the importance of wetlands in maintaining ecological balance by supporting biodiversity, regulating water cycles, and mitigating climate change. Globally, wetlands are among the world’s most productive ecosystems, yet they are also among the most threatened.
So, for this year, the main campaign call is for bold action to safeguard these vital habitats for current and future generations.
In Ghana, the Wildlife Division (WD) of the Forestry Commission (FC) in collaboration with the Obane Community within the Songor Lagoon Ramsar Site in Ada, commemorated World Wetlands Day 2025 with a symbolic Mangrove planting and a durbar at the Dove Park, in Ada Foah.
An address read on behalf of the Acting Chief Executive of the FC, Dr Hugh Brown, said the Day’s celebration is a call for collective responsibility to conserve and restore wetlands to ensure a sustainable ecosystem for present and future generations.
On the state of Ghana’s wetlands, he said, “They are disappearing three times faster than forests. Hence, the need for all to actively participate in the conservation and restoration of Ghana’s wetlands ecosystems.”
What the trio celebrations means for Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa
The trio celebrations clearly depict the global community rallying around the themes of ecosystem restoration, water cooperation, and a shift to renewable energy in 2025, with sub-Saharan Africa and countries like Ghana in particular, standing at a critical crossroads.
The relevance of these themes goes beyond mere symbolism. They speak directly to the most pressing development and environmental challenges of countries like Ghana calling for urgent collective actions in ecosystem restoration in the face significant pressure from widespread degradation due to deforestation, agriculture, mining, infrastructural expansion and climate change.
This would involve an examination of provisions including those made for ecosystem restoration in the various urban planning and national development policies, and legal frameworks.
Where need be, the existing polices and framework, may have to be revised, amended or revoked. Also, with increasing pressure from climate change impacts, population growth, and urbanisation on freshwater supplies, the trio celebrations proposed proactive water management as imperative and critical measure.
This is not to safeguard public health, ensure food and energy security, protect the environment only, but also to prevent potential social conflicts. Also, it would strengthen their resilience, drive economic development, and honor the commitment to leaving no one behind in the pursuit of sustainable development.
On the subject of clean energy and in Ghana’s case, while, she has made strides with hydropower and solar initiatives, yet still, energy access remains unequal, particularly in rural areas. Hence, a significant part of the population remaining unreached.
But, under Ghana’s Renewable Energy Master Plan, huge potential exists for scaling up solar and mini-grid projects. Along with these opportunities, comes the urgent need to create green jobs in energy, conservation and climate adaptation, which is vital for the nation’s growing youth population.
Another crucial message can be seen in the push for Ghana and other sub-Saharan nations toward a model of development that is green, just, and inclusive. And to get there, countries need to strengthen the performance of systems and institutions put in place to administer the various sectors.
This should be supported by reinforced environmental governance and enforced regulations that protect biodiversity.Local communities should be appropriately empowered with tools and knowledge to adapt to climate change.
Regional and national structures should be revitalised to champion climate finance access that would enable Africa to lead in solutions and not keep suffering consequences.
As the World Seed Day was observed on Saturday, April 26, 2025, the Ecological Think Tank, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) says it isn’t just celebrating seed as food but as part of our cultural heritage and life. Along with the Environmental Rights Action, the group adds that it honours the resilience, knowledge and ingenuity of small holders farmers all over the world who have for generation preserved the biodiversity of our seeds and our food sovereignty.
Nnimmo Bassey
The group called on the Nigeria Government to withdraw from the International Union for the Protection of New Plant varieties (UPOV 1991), which it said is a threat to our food system. It urged the authorities to develop a “Sui generis” seed protection system in line with the African Model Law.
“HOMEF in partnership with other national and international organisations has since 2021 campaigned against the set up of the Nigeria’s Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Law which was developed as a requirement for membership in UPOV. The PVP Law threatens farmers right, biodiversity and our food sovereignty.
“Despite our collective voice and a lawsuit against some key components of the law, The Nigerian government on 27th February 2025, deposited the instrument of accession and Nigeria was approved as the eightieth member of UPOV on 27th March 2025,” the group submitted in a statement.
HOMEF’s Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, stated that “The Nigerian Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Law fails to recognise the country’s unique agricultural landscape, where over 80% of farmers are smallholder farmers who play a vital role in conserving and enhancing plant genetic resources. These farmers depend largely on traditional practices including saving, reusing and exchanging farm saved seeds.
“Furthermore, the law creates an imbalanced environment where Intellectual Property Rights override farmers’ rights. It promotes the dominance of commercial seed systems over farmers’ and indigenous seed systems, thereby marginalising the very people who have sustained our food systems for generations.”
The Project Lead on Hunger Politics, Joyce Brown, noted that careful analysis of the PVP Law has shown that it places severe restrictions not only on the use of farm-saved seed (propagating material) but extends to harvested material (e.g., grain) and even further to products made directly from harvested material (e.g., milled maize).
Brown added that the PVP law encourages the genetic modification of crops which have direct implications on human (use of herbicides and pesticidal crops) and environmental health (monocultures) as well as on biosafety (destruction of non-target organisms)
Food Sovereignty Activist and Deputy Director of Environmental Rights Action, Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, highlighted that “the process of development of the PVP law was less than transparent, with no public hearings and lack of consultations and participation of smallholder farmers. This is in contrast to the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 which provides for democracy and social justice as per Article 14 (1) and 14(2) (c ).”
In addition, she pointed out that “the law grants final decision-making power to the Minister of Agriculture, particularly in cases of appeal regarding breeder’s rights. This provision violates Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to a fair hearing and access to justice through the courts. Concentrating such powers in the hands of a single authority undermines democratic principles and judicial independence.”
The groups call on the Nigerian government to withdraw from the UPOV 1991 framework and halt the implementation of the PVP Law in its current form, adding that the Law which is line with the UPOV’s provisions undermines traditional agricultural practices and threatens farmers rights and freedom by opening the door for corporate control.
Furthermore, the groups advised that “Nigeria should develop a ‘sui generis’ plant variety protection system tailored to Nigeria’s unique agricultural context, drawing from the African Model Law. Such a system should ensure that protection mechanisms do not privilege commercial interests at the expense of communal, farmer-driven seed systems. It is essential that this law be developed through inclusive, bottom-up consultations with farmers, indigenous communities, civil society, and public research institutions.
“This seed law must guarantee farmers’ rights, including the right to save, use and exchange farm-saved seeds without criminalisation; ensure full transparency and public access to breeder applications to protect against exploitation and safeguard indigenous knowledge; support smallholder farmers through credible credit facilities, infrastructure, and support for public research institutions that serve farmers’ needs.
“Also, Nigeria should prioritise the set up of seed banks at community, local government and state levels to ensure the preservation of indigenous varieties.
“In line with the theme for the 2025 World Seed Day: Empowering Farmers-Protecting Biodiversity, Nigeria should promote farmer-managed seed systems and invest in local, resilient seed networks that secure food and ecological justice. Our government should prioritise people over and above corporate interests.”
African leaders are advocating for a new approach to measuring the continent’s green wealth, emphasising that current gross domestic product measures in most African countries are outdated and underestimate their true wealth.
UN Headquarters, New York
They spoke on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at an event hosted by the African Union Commission and the African Development Bank Group at the African Union Mission to the United States on the sidelines of the 2025 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“We need to talk the talk and walk the talk. It is time to turn our commitments and pledges into concrete actions,” said Ambassador Hilda Suda-Mafudze, Permanent Representative of the African Union Mission to the U.S.
“We need to invest in our systems of national accounts. If we want to have accurate measures of our wealth and create a store of assets, we can leverage them to drive our ambitions of shared prosperity and sustainable development.”
The event featured discussion of a 2024 African Development Bank Group report that found that including the value of carbon sequestered in African forests only would have resulted in an additional $66.1 billion of GDP for the continent in 2022, an expansion of about 2.2 percent.
Professor Kevin Urama, African Development Bank Chief Economist and Vice President presented key findings from the report, Measuring the Green Wealth of Nations: Natural Capital and Economic Productivity in Africa.
Leaders emphasised that a proper valuation of Africa’s natural resources would transform the continent’s financial landscape by unlocking access to global financial flows, improving national risk profiles, and creating new capacity for investments in green economies and climate-resilient infrastructure.
This call to action comes ahead of the November UN Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil, where African leaders are expected to press for reforms to the global economic and financial infrastructure, so these better reflect Africa’s green wealth and sustainability contributions.
“It is time for us to redefine our identity as Africa,” said Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine in a panel discussion on practical steps towards implementing the 2025 System of National Accounts (SNAs) in Africa. “Africa is underestimated. We must work strategically to change this.”
Panelists noted that several African countries still use SNAs dating back to 1968. SNAs are an international standard system of concepts and methods for national accounts that have been adopted by most countries worldwide.
Madagascar’s Minister of Economy and Finance Rindra Rabarinirinarison called for more robust technology transfer and technical capacity building to enable African countries to build proper statistical systems for natural capital. She outlined that Madagascar has launched pilot projects to leverage and measure the value of its natural resources.
“Madagascar is a rich country but not rich,” she lamented, pointing to the country’s abundant natural resources.
Erich Strassner from IMF’s Statistics Department described the report as transformational and assured that the Fund was ready to work with the African Development Bank, the World Bank, and governments to implement its recommendations.
He emphasised the need to focus on priorities in each country, “so that together we can put together a plan to bring each country up to speed on the new system of national capital evaluation.”
Quoting African Development Bank figures, Ambassador Suda-Mafudze observed that if countries rebased their GDP based on carbon sequestration by forests alone, the impact would be substantial, with estimated GDP increases of 38.2% in Côte d’Ivoire, 36.7% in Benin, and 33.5% in Niger.
“We need to ensure a proper valuation of Africa’s green wealth. When we know the value of this significant asset base and incorporate its true value into our national accounts, we improve our economies’ risk profiles and enhance access to financial flows for financing our development,” the Ambassador said.
In his presentation, Vice President Urama pointed to the massive economic value of Africa’s natural resources – estimated at $6.2 trillion in 2018 – and the fact that the continent accounts for 26% of global forest-based carbon capture despite contributing only 4% of global carbon emissions.
“Africa’s green wealth and the important global public goods and ecosystem services it provides to the world are often overlooked in economic valuations,” Urama said. “This significantly underestimates African countries’ gross domestic product, despite abundant green wealth.”
He said that in addition to natural capital, ecosystem services and informal economic activities were also not factored into GDP.
Revaluing these assets through Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) and the updated System of National Accounts, which includes the informal sector, could significantly increase Africa’s GDP and improve access to sustainable finance, Urama noted.
“This is not just about correcting statistics. It’s about ensuring comparability of the measures of countries’ GDP in Africa and globally. By updating the System of National Accounts in countries, we can ensure that the basket of goods and services included in the measure of GDP of countries is the same, and avoid comparing oranges and apples,” Urama said.
He called on African countries to allocate appropriate budgets to upgrade their National Accounting Systems and rebase their GDPs, noting that “this is a smart investment that can deliver low-hanging fruit.”
The Executive Secretary of the African Economic Research Consortium, Prof. Victor Murinde, described the new model developed by the African Development Bank as transformative.
“It is a bold step to address a methodological gap in how the GDP of countries is measured to consider the true wealth of nations. Its recommendations provide rich materials for economists to work on in the coming years to improve the methodology for assessing the wealth of nations,” he remarked.
The African Development Bank expressed a commitment to work with the World Bank, the IMF, and other partners to implement the recommendations of the report. It is also advancing practical steps that include creating standard methods to value natural resources, connecting environmental goals with other policies, training local experts across Africa, and helping African countries sell their environmental benefits in worldwide carbon markets.
The Bank Group will also host the African Natural Capital Accounting Community of Practice.
The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) is implementing a Global Environment Facility (GEF) project titled: Improving Nigeria’s Industrial Energy Performance & Resource Efficient Cleaner Production through Programmatic Approaches & the Promotion of Innovation in Clean Technology Solutions’ though the introduction of industry energy efficiency (IEE), to Arewa Metal Containers Limited (ARMECO) to help reduce energy consumption in the country.
A cross section of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) technical working group members and industry players during the kick off review meeting in Kaduna State
Engr. Okon Ekpenyong, Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE) Consultant, ECN/UNIDO, made this known at the KICK OFF Review Meeting with industries in Kaduna on the implementation of Industrial Energy Efficeincy/Energy Management Systems (EnMS).
The project is aimed at accelerating the adoption of industrial energy efficiency (IEE) and improving enterprise environmental performance under the wider umbrella of Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) best practices and innovative approaches within selected small, medium and large-scale industrial enterprises in Nigeria.
He explained that the project aims to promote the adoption of industrial energy efficiency best practices and improve environmental performance, as well as reduce energy consumption which helps to lower bills and improved environmental performance.
According to him, industrial energy efficiency, focus on energy management systems and reducing energy waste.
Ekpenyong revealed that UNIDO is partnering with the Bank of Industry to provide financial support for industries adopting energy management systems.
He added that the project is being monitored by multiple agencies, including the Ministry of Environment, Energy Commission, and Standard Organisation of Nigeria.
Speaking further, Ekpenyong called for data base collection which is a baseline to conduct and collect data on energy consumption and costs. The data will help industries measure and manage their energy consumption, leading to potential cost savings, enabling comparative analysis and informed decision-making.
The Managing Director, Arewa Metal Containers Limited, (ARMECO), Engineer Joachim Daudu, assured partnership with UNIDO to implement energy efficiency measures in their company also expresses commitment to implementing energy efficiency measures.
To save energy, he noted the importance for solar power to reduce energy costs.
Daudu echoed that through solar, the company expects to save around 144 million naira in the next six years.
He revealed that the company plans to implement energy efficiency measures in phases, starting with the admin block and factory equipment.
The Lagos State Government (LASG) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an international consortium company, Belstar and ENKA, for the rehabilitation and expansion of water supply works in the state.
Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, said this in a statement on Monday, April 28, 2025, in Lagos.
Wahab said it was aimed at addressing critical water infrastructure challenges in the state.He said the project entails construction, rehabilitation, installation of water treatment facilities and distribution networks to provide reliable and sustainable water supply to the underserved communities.
Wahab added that the project would see to the establishment of new water works to ease distribution network issues.
He said the state would ensure compliance with relevant regulations, including social and safety standards.
Wahab said the project was divided into two parts: the Brown Field which consist rehabilitation of existing water works and the Green Field, the construction of entirely new water works in various locations across the state.
The Managing Director, Lagos Water Corporation(LWC), Engr Mukhtaar Tijani, said that the LWC would collaborate with the International Consortium, provide support development, technical inputs as well as stakeholder’s coordination to achieve success.
He said the projects would not only provide portable water to communities without water, but would ensure the eradication of water related diseases in the state.
The Group Managing Director, Belstar Capital, Mr Tewodros Polk, said the consortium would remain committed to the project.
Polk said the consortium would leverage strength and technical expertise to ensure long-term productivity and service delivery.
He promised that the consortium would utilise local subcontractors in order to promote capacity building and sustainable development throughout the different phases of the project.
He said the project would be executed using the Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Finance model insured by the U.S.International Development Finance Corporation.
Polk said the project would be completed in 36 months.
