Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) has announced the signing of a strategic agreement with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) to support its transformative capital increase initiative.
Effectively, BADEA has approved a landmark $120 million to support the capitalisation programme of Shelter Afrique Development Bank, the leading Pan-African institution focused on affordable housing and urban development. The concessional financing facility will help eligible member states settle and increase their capital subscriptions to ShafDB.
president of BADEA Abdullah KH Almusaibeeh (left), with Thierno Habib-Hann, Managing Director of Shelter Afrique Development Bank
This initiative, developed in partnership with BADEA, introduces an innovative financing mechanism through which eligible member states can access on-lending at competitive terms. The BADEA-supported facility, totaling USD 120 million, will be used to settle and boost member states’ capital subscriptions to Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB).
“This agreement with BADEA marks a critical step in strengthening our capital base and advancing our mission of financing affordable housing and sustainable urban infrastructure across Africa,” said Thierno Habib-Hann, Managing Director of Shelter Afrique Development Bank. “We are grateful to BADEA for its strong partnership and unwavering support in this pivotal phase of our institutional evolution.”
The new capital increase programme includes an initial equal allocation to all member states, followed by a phased reallocation, first on a pro-rata basis, and then on a first-come, first-served basis. This approach aims to encourage active participation by member states and to strengthen ShafDB’s capital adequacy in a balanced and transparent manner.
Commenting on the programme, the president of BADEA, Abdullah KH Almusaibeeh, said: “We see this capital program as a strategic milestone in Shelter Afrique Development Bank’s evolution. BADEA is proud to back this initiative, and we remain committed to our shared mission of enabling access to decent housing and inclusive urban development across Africa.”
The need to enhance equity capital has become critical following the institution’s transformation into a Development Bank, a milestone formally approved by Shelter Afrique’s shareholders during the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held in Algiers, Algeria, in October 2023.
Building on this transformation, a significant achievement was realised during the Annual General Meeting in June 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda, where shareholders demonstrated strong leadership by endorsing a transformative capital increase program, and the board approved in December 2024 a capital increase of over a $200 million.
“Expanding capital base will enable the Bank to scale up financing along the housing value chain, access more competitive funding from international and African capital markets, and reinforce its role in addressing the housing deficit and driving inclusive urban development across its 44 member states,” Mr. Hann said.
Increased leverage
The capital increase program has been designed to significantly strengthen ShafDB’s balance sheet over the medium-term, expand its shareholder capital base, and to significantly mobilize debts. The capital raised will also support the Bank’s plans to attain investment-grade credit ratings, attract new institutional investors, and expand its lending and technical assistance programmes in member countries.
Wildlife conservation group, Wild Africa on Thursday, July 31, joined global celebrations for World Ranger Day 2025, highlighting the extraordinary commitment of nearly 60,000 African rangers who risk their lives daily to protect wildlife and ecosystems.
Celebrated under the theme “Rangers, Powering Transformative Conservation” this year, the annual initiative honours the critical work of rangers worldwide and commemorates those rangers who suffered in the line of duty.
The park rangers at a refresher training
Africa is grappling with a significant conservation crisis driven by rapid human population growth, and the expansion of urban developments, poaching and other wildlife crimes, climate change and deforestation. These pressures are leading to habitat loss and a decline in countless species. Rangers are at the forefront of addressing these challenges, working to secure protected areas so that ecosystems can function effectively for the benefit of both wildlife and people.
“Rangers are nature’s first line of defense. Without them, our iconic wildlife like lions, elephants, gorillas, and leopards could disappear forever,” said Linus Unah, West Africa Director for Wild Africa. “Their courage, sacrifice, and relentless dedication keep our national parks and communities safe, protect our wildlife, and preserve our natural heritage for generations to come.”
There are an estimated 280,000 rangers globally, far below the 1.5 million needed to protect 30% of the planet by 2030. Yet, despite the urgency, ranger numbers are declining, and the work remains highly dangerous. Between 2006 and 2021, 2,351 rangers died on duty worldwide, with over 42% of these fatalities linked to criminal activity related to wildlife crime and poaching. Other challenges that rangers face include time away from their families, long hours of solitude, traumatic confrontations with poachers and being ostracised by their communities following arrests.
Wild Africa has connected with rangers across the continent to share their personal stories from the field and highlight the courage and sacrifices required for this demanding profession.
Odamo Yemi, a ranger in the Omo Forest Reserve in Ogun State, said World Ranger Day is“a day to recognise and appreciate rangers,” adding: “I love to protect nature, and I love to watch animal behaviour.”
Wildlife rangers are passionate individuals, with unique stories of why they pursued this dangerous career, and why they are so dedicated to their work in preserving Africa’s wildlife. The role of a ranger extends well beyond wildlife protection as they also provide environmental education, act as first responders, engage in law enforcement, manage fires and conduct community outreach.
Gbenga Ogunwole, a former hunter turned ranger at Omo Forest Reserve, said World Ranger Day “is meaningful, because people will recognise us through that day, they will also appreciate our work.”
“I love seeing animals in their natural home. Protecting nature is not only for rangers alone, it is for all of us,” Ogunwole added.
Unah added: “On World Ranger Day, and every day, we pay tribute to the bravery, resilience, and dedication of rangers who protect not only endangered species and fragile ecosystems, but also Africa’s natural heritage that sustains us all. Let’s reaffirm our commitment to stand alongside them, providing the resources, recognition, and support they need to continue this vital work for generations to come.”
As deadly wildfires rage across southern Europe and heatwaves push health systems to breaking point, oil giant Shell has announced another quarter of massive profits, amassing billions of dollars and exceeding expectations – what observers and climate activists see as a symbol of a global system that rewards destruction while communities pay the price.
Indeed, Shell posted second-quarter profit of $4.26 billion, beating analyst expectations and saying it would buy back $3.5 billion of shares over the coming three months.
Shell
Shell’s Q2 earnings announcement comes amid record-breaking heat, floods, and fires that are killing people, displacing communities, and devastating ecosystems from Greece to Portugal. These profits – built on continued fossil fuel extraction – are said to represent not just a failure of corporate responsibility, but of political leadership.
Matilda Borgström, UK campaigner at 350.org, said: “Shell’s astronomical profits are a slap in the face to the millions already living through climate catastrophe. While communities are hit by floods, fires, and record heat, Shell is cashing in – fueling the crisis while dodging accountability. It’s time to Tax Their Billions and make fossil fuel giants pay for the damage they’ve caused and redirect that money to fund a just transition – clean energy, green jobs, vital public services and real climate solutions led by communities, not corporations.
“As public budgets for health care, climate adaptation, and disaster response are put under strain, companies like Shell continue to profit from pollution and extract obscene wealth without paying for the harm they cause. These profits come at a time when governments – including the UK’s – are cutting climate and development finance, claiming there’s “not enough money to go around.”
Campaigners are calling for:
A tax on extreme wealth and fossil fuel profits, to ensure polluters pay what they owe.
A rapid end to fossil fuel subsidies and the redirection of public finance to community-led renewable energy.
Support for a UN Tax Convention, to stop corporate tax dodging and raise public revenues for climate and social needs.
According to the activists, the climate crisis is not a future threat – it is a present injustice. The firestorms sweeping Europe are a reminder that those least responsible are suffering the most, while fossil fuel giants continue to profit unchecked.
“It’s time to stop rewarding the arsonists. Governments must step up, tax polluters, and deliver the urgent, just transition the world needs,” they stated.
Concerned with the escalating threat of deforestation in Cross River State, We the People, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), and partners held the 3rd edition of the annual Multi-Stakeholder Conference on Deforestation on July 17, 2025, in Calabar, the state capital, assembling stakeholders including community leaders, conservationists, public officials, legal practitioners, the academia, and the media.
Among others, the meeting aimed to emphasise the growing threat of deforestation in Cross River State, examine the shortcomings and challenges associated with government responses, explore policy options for ending forest loss in the state, highlight strategies for protecting wildlife, learn from and empower communities to protect the forests, and design strategies for long term multi-stakeholder cooperation on forest protection.
A panel discussion session during the Multi-Stakeholder Conference on Deforestation in Calabar, Cross River State
The conference, which had over 130 participants, featured an opening presentation highlighting the scale of the deforestation problem by We the People’s Executive Director, Ken Henshaw, a keynote presentation by Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, inputs by Dr. Odigha Odigha, Dr. Martins Egot, and the Conservator of Parks, among others.
Deliberation at the conference centred around building global partnership to end deforestation, legislative opportunities for improving forest management, community strategies and opportunities for protecting forests and preserving wildlife, as well as the emerging dynamics of solid mining and deforestation in Cross River State.
The conference observed that, in 2008, the Cross River State Government instituted a ban on all forest activities, specifically targeting loggers which it considered the key drivers of deforestation at the time. For the government, this action was necessitated by the need to protect the most critical asset of Cross River state which is its vast forests and the wildlife it shelters. Despite the ban, reputable studies indicate that by 2014 1,070Km2 of forest had been lost.
While data for deforestation between 2014 and 2023 are scarcely available, all evidence indicates an alarming rise in forest loss within the period. In 2023, the government came to terms with the futility of the forest ban and the United Nations supported Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) that inspired it and immediately lifted the ban.
The conference further observed that despite the new forest management strategy by the current administration in the state, deforestation continues at an alarming rate, and the classification of Cross River State as the location of West Africa’s largest forests is no longer factual.
The conferences also observed that logging activities have assumed more sinister and troubling proportions in the state. The illicit trade in timber has expanded to include foreign interests as well as international dimensions. Exotic species of wood are illegally extracted from the forests and exported overseas. While the forests undergo systematic dissipation, communities who traditionally own these forests and have protected it for generations are not only losing their livelihoods, but also their heritage.
The conference made the observation that mining for solid mineral in reserved parts of the forests in Cross River State was an emergent factor in deforestation, as well as a major cause of insecurity and social disruptions.
After extensive deliberations, the conference noted the following;
That deforestation has reached alarming proportions in Cross River State, across the National Park, State Forest Reserves and Community Forests.
That currently, deforestation is being driven by an array of factors including foreigners who work with local collaborators to facilitate illegal logging, rogue law enforcement officials who circumvent the rules, and some compromised communities who provide access to loggers.
That the spread of plantations including cocoa plantations and oil palm plantations have emerged as a key driver of deforestation, noting that these plants do not play the same role as natural forests.
That the agencies of government saddled with the responsibility of preserving the forests were ill funded, ill staffed and ill equipped to sufficiently play their roles.
That in crafting strategies for ending deforestation, communities have often been ignored, and this has led to a weakening of collaboration.
That the Cross River State Forestry Law 2007 is currently outdated and insufficient to address the myriad challenges facing the state’s forests.
Based on the above, the conference resolved and made the following recommendations;
The government of Cross River State must initiate plans to review the state Forestry law towards making it more effective for protecting the forests, and bringing it into sync with other national laws and international frameworks on climate change and energy transition.
As a matter of priority, the state government should strengthen the agencies of state responsible for forest management including the Cross River State Forestry Commission. This effort will provide the expertise and facilities necessary to protect the forests and its wildlife.
The government should actively create synergy with indigenous communities located around forested areas. This will create the incentives, partnership and indigenous know-how required to effectively manage and protect the forest.
The government of Cross River State should cease engaging the state’s forest as a source of revenue through timber sales or concessions. It should rather leverage on the ecotourism and climate change mitigations potentials of the forests to generate critical partnerships and financial support.
The state government should end the practice of giving concessions for plantation development in forested areas. In line with this, the government should reassess concessions already given to ensure that those concessions have not gone beyond their original allocations.
The state government must immediately arrest the escalating threat of mining in reserved forest areas. It is recommended that the state government works with security operatives and the Federal Ministry of Mines to address this threat.
PROMAD Infotech Foundation, the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF), the Nigeria Open Government Partnership, and the Socio-Economic Research and Development Centre (SERDEC) have announced a new partnership to host regional dialogues for youth participation in the co-creation of Nigeria’s fourth National Action Plan (NAP IV) for the implementation of the Open Government Partnership (OGP).
The partnership is announced under the “Strengthening Youth Participation in the OGP Process in Nigeria”.
Climate Justice Youth Ambassadors (CJYA) during a hangout held in Abuja to celebrate the 2024 Earth Day
According to a statement signed by the leadership of the organisations and the national coordinator of OGP, the regional dialogues are a direct effort to support youth participation in the co-creation of the country’s NAP IV, currently being developed by the national OGP secretariat, to strengthen open governance and development.
Nigeria joined the global OGP in 2016 and developed and implemented NAP I-III between 2016-2025, which has helped the country to make progress in driving open governance, accountability and transparency initiatives.
Despite the progress recorded, the previous NAPs lacked a deliberate focus on youth inclusion and their unique challenges that need to be captured in the development process. The six regional dialogues are intended to bring youth to the table and bridge the gaps identified and build on recent efforts to mainstream youth perspectives across open government initiatives and reforms in Nigeria.
Through the support of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), PROMAD will lead the hosting of three regional dialogues in the South-West, South-South and North-Central, while NYFF will lead the hosting of the dialogues in South-East, North-East and North-West and a national convening, respectively.
The national secretariat of OGP and SERDEC will support the implementation of activities during the regional dialogues across the six political zones of Nigeria.
Objectives and Expected Outcomes
To increase youth participation in the co-creation process of the 4th OGP National Action Plan (NAP IV) of Nigeria
To ensure commitments in Nigeria’s next OGP NAP IV reflect the ideas and aspirations of young people
To enhance the visibility of the OGP process amongst youth and civil society organisations and communities at the subnational levels.
The dialogues, which will take place between July and October 2025, are expected to enrich the co-creation process for the NAP IV between citizens and the government through the national OGP secretariat.
The data, opinions and recommendations from the regions will be synthesised to develop a single report to be presented and adopted during the national convening in Abuja by the national OGP stakeholders as a working document for the NAP IV.
One of the key outcomes of the Second African Conference on Agricultural Technologies (ACAT2025), held in Kigali, Rwanda, in June 2025, was a timely reminder to African governments and people that the continent has a shared vision and aspirations it is pursuing: “The Africa We Want – Agenda 2063.” This 50-year blueprint developed in 2013, serves as the continent’s master plan for sustainable development and economic growth.
Aspiration 1 of Agenda 2063 envisions “a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development,” with the goal of achieving zero hunger. Realising this aspiration, according to the Acting Head of the Genome Editing Programme at the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), Prof. Olalekan Akinbo, “hinges on the core pillars of policy, science, and community engagement, supported by appropriate science communication.”
Acting Head of the Genome Editing Programme at the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), Prof. Olalekan Akinbo
Communicating science within the political space
Speaking at one of the sessions during the ACAT2025, he emphasised the importance of communicating science “in a way that is understandable and actionable for policymakers.
In a subsequent interview, Prof. Akinbo elaborated: “Communicating science within political spaces is absolutely critical and must be done with an understanding of the dynamics involved in presenting scientific information to non-scientists, particularly those with political interests.”
He noted that the focus of such communication should include “demystifying scientific technology and innovation, and deepening understanding of the role science plays in national development.”
As an agency mandated to support the development and implementation of science-related policy across African Union member states, AUDA-NEPAD, Prof. Akinbo said, insists that science communication must be grounded in national science policies and aligned with the broader continental agenda.
“The African Union works through existing national structures,” he explained. “For instance, scientific institutions are mandated to generate research outputs that reflect government priorities, especially where those institutions receive state funding. These innovations, such as improved crop varieties, must be aligned with national development goals.”
Prof. Akinbo added that effective science communication must involve national structures, such as scientists working directly on technologies of strategic interest to government. He emphasized the importance of highlighting the role of government and its financial commitment to research aimed at reducing poverty and improving livelihoods.
“To ensure impact and sustainability, policymakers’ interests must be aligned with continental science and innovation policies. Otherwise, there’s a risk that local political interests may overshadow or derail broader development goals,” he concluded.
Embracing biotechnology in Africa’s agriculture: The urgency of now
In a related development, the founding Director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) at the University of Ghana, Prof. Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, issued a strong call to action: “Unless African leaders act boldly to transform the continent’s agriculture, we will continue to fail our people.”
Speaking at a regional stakeholders’ meeting in Accra on agricultural biotechnology in Africa, Prof. Danquah underscored the immense pressure Africa’s agriculture is currently under: from climate change, food insecurity and population growth to limited access to new technologies.
“Biotechnology offers us real hope,” he stated. While acknowledging that biotechnology is not a magic bullet, he emphasised: “…it is a powerful tool – one that allows us to develop better crops faster, to feed growing populations, and to build resilience against the shocks of climate change.”
He continued: “If we embrace it with wisdom and courage, we can change the story of hunger in Africa. But to truly unlock the power of science for the good of all, we must also confront deeper issues of justice, the need for evidence-based action, and the urgency of now”.
That urgency is underscored by rapid population growth across Africa. Ghana, for example, is projected to increase hers by over 2.25 million people within the next five years. This population surge highlights the critical need for new breeding tools that deliver resilient, nutritious, and high-yielding crops to ensure food security.
Prof. Danquah stressed that finding sustainable solutions to improve agricultural productivity and resilience is non-negotiable and the role of biotechnology in this endeavor cannot be overstated.
While commending Ghana’s progress, including the historic approval of genetically modified (GM) Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea in July 2024, exactly a year ago, he acknowledged that barriers remain. “These approvals demonstrate our cautious but steady approach to adopting biotechnology, carefully balancing innovation with available resources.”
To fully realise the benefits of biotechnology, Prof. Danquah emphasised the need to strengthen and scale up research and regulatory institutions. “Without this, the impact of innovation will be limited, and our ability to respond to future challenges will be compromised,” he warned.
One of the issues that Africa needs to tackle to strengthen it agricultural sector is the development of the required human capital.
Building Africa’s next generation of plant scientists
In Ghana, some key academic institutions are already training students in the tools of scientific technology and innovation adoptable for agricultural purposes. WACCI is one such institution. Since its establishment in 2007, the Centre has been at the forefront of efforts to transform agriculture in Africa through enhancing the capacity of human capital. The Centre is training the next generation of African plant breeders – for Africa, in Africa.
So far, WACCI has graduated over 120 PhDs and 60 MPhil holders, many of whom are leading agricultural innovation across 15 African countries. In Ghana alone, 28 of the Centre’s plant breeders including Prof. Maxwell Asante, Director of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Crop Research Institute (CSIR-CRI) at Fumesua, near Kumasi, and his Deputy, Dr. Ernest Baafi are WACCI alumni. At the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Institute-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) in Nyankpala, near Tamale, Dr. Joseph Adjebeng-Danquah, another WACCI-trained scientist, serves as Deputy Director.
Together, WACCI alumni have developed and released more than 290 improved crop varieties now in the hands of farmers across the continent. In addition, WACCI and its graduates have attracted over $100 million in funding to support agricultural research and development activities in Africa.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has advocated the reviving of the Lake Chad to enhance all-year farming and support the Green Revolution Project.
The climate variability impact on Lake Chad has also worsened the abundance and conservation status of biodiversity. Photo credit: UNEP
Shettima made the call on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at the UN Food Systems Summit +4 (UNFSS+4) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The vice president spoke at a panel on “Country Perspectives: Government-led Strategies and Regional Frameworks”.
He said the revival of the Lake Chad region, being threatened by multidimensional challenges, is crucial to rebuilding sustainable and inclusive food systems in the region and across Africa.
The vice president identified the challenges to include, environmental degradation, climate change, humanitarian crises and conflict.
According to him, addressing the multidimensional challenges requires a multi-pronged approach, development initiatives, conflict resolution, regional cooperation, and large-scale infrastructure.
The vice president challenged African nations to desist from charity and long-term aid from the developed world as they are not sustainable solutions for Africa’s development and may even be detrimental.
“We believe charity is not the answer. In Africa, we say that when you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day,” he said.
He said the President Bola Tinubu’s administration has designed a comprehensive strategy to address food security challenges, which mostly impact vulnerable citizens in conflict-affected regions.
“Our target is to attain food sovereignty. So long as a nation is not independent in the area of food sovereignty, it remains a non-sovereign nation.
“President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency on food security, not out of fear, but out of genuine concern for the welfare of our people.
“This is especially in conflict-driven environments like the North East, where Boko Haram was sowing seeds of discord and destruction,” he stated.
Shettima explained that, with 25 million vulnerable people across fragile regions, the government adopted coordinated policy measures.
He stressed that Nigeria’s agricultural transformation strategy is market-driven, powered by entrepreneurship and innovation.
“Our belief is that agriculture should be market-driven.
“The whole mantra is about increasing yields. Entrepreneurial capitalism is embedded in the psyche of the average Nigerian,” he said.
Project Coordinator of the FCT Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), Mrs. Caroline Opara, has emphasised that bees play a vital role in conserving biodiversity and preserving ecosystems.
Opara, who stated this in an interview on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Abuja, noted that the importance of bees cannot be overstated, especially in maintaining ecological balance and supporting agricultural productivity.
Bees
“Bees are essential pollinators. In fact, they are responsible for about 75 per cent of pollination activities in agriculture, which is why they are often referred to as golden insects,” she said.
According to her, bee populations must be protected to ensure food security, especially as agricultural habitats continue to be threatened by environmental degradation.
She stressed the need for increased awareness and stakeholder engagement to preserve bee habitats and enhance apiculture.
“Apiculture is a key component of ACReSAL’s interventions, as honey is one of the non-timber products supported by the project,” Opara said.
She explained that because forestry is largely community-based, protecting the ecosystem goes hand-in-hand with sustaining livelihoods.
The coordinator added that ACReSAL would continue to promote bee conservation through awareness campaigns and support for local beekeeping initiatives.
Opara called on government agencies, farmers, and environmental groups to work together to safeguard bee populations as part of efforts to ensure food sustainability and ecological resilience.
Bees are responsible for a huge share of global pollination, with estimates suggesting they account for 70 to 90 per cent of all insect pollination activities.
The Federal Government of Nigeria says charcoal trade is a threat to forest sustainability and livelihood in the country.
Dr Aishetu Ndayako, Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office (EPO), Office of the Secretary to the Federal Government, said this at the opening of a one-day stakeholders dialogue on charcoal production and forest conservation.
Saving the forests from charcoal merchants
The event, organised by Centre for Renewable Energy and Action on Climate Change (CREACC-NG) supported by EkoEnergy, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Abuja had “Trade and Trees-Rethinking Charcoal Production and the Vanishing Forests’’ as its theme.
Ndayako, who spoke on the topic, “Charcoal Trade Forest Loss and Ecological Challenges in Nigeria’’, said that charcoal trade was a significant source of household energy for millions of Nigerians, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities.
She said that the largely informal and weakly regulated trade had led to devastating environmental consequences, including deforestation, ecosystem collapse and biodiversity loss.
“The paradox is that Charcoal remains a significant source of household energy for millions of Nigerians, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities.
“With over 70 per cent of our population depending on biomass for cooking, the demand for charcoal has grown exponentially, both for domestic use and as an export commodity.
“Trees are felled indiscriminately, and entire ecosystems are degraded with minimal efforts at regeneration. Forests, which serve as our carbon sinks, biodiversity reservoirs and cultural heritage are under siege,” she said.
She highlighted some strategic shifts that must be taken to forge a coherent and inclusive response.
According to her, there is an urgent need to harmonise national policies on forest and biomass energy, and to empower enforcement agencies to regulate charcoal production and trade effectively.
“Sustainable forestry can only be achieved with the active participation of local communities. We must incentivise tree planting, agroforestry and community-managed woodlots.
“Forests must be seen as renewable assets, not disposable resources.
“We must scale up the transition and access to cleaner energy sources such as LPG, ethanol, biogas; improved biomass briquettes and solar cookstoves, particularly in the rural, peri-urban vulnerable communities,” she said.
She said that EPO was committed to providing sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s ecological concerns and supports dialogues that bring together key stakeholders to forge a coherent and inclusive response to the charcoal trade and forest degradation.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said that forests were vital to the planet’s health such that they absorb carbon dioxide, regulate the climate and support rich biodiversity in Nigeria.
Ahmad, represented by Mrs. Aminulai Modupe, Asst. Director, Environmental Science Education Technology and Science Education Department, emphasised the need to integrate environmental education into the national curriculum.
She said that it would raise a generation that valued conservation and understands the environmental cost of unsustainable practices.
The minister said that beyond basic and secondary education, the ministry had launched the Diaspora Bridge Initiative aimed at strengthening research and collaboration across tertiary institutions, including Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics- Medical (STEM-M).
She called on stakeholders to support community workshops and outreach initiatives that promote charcoal production techniques.
“Students are learning about tree life cycles, biodiversity and the importance of sustainability from an early age,’’ Ahmad said.
Earlier, the Executive Director of CREACC-NG, Usman Muhammad, said that as the largest producer of charcoal in Africa and the second-largest globally, Nigeria faced significant environmental challenges.
According to him, there is an alarming rate of deforestation and tree cover loss, especially in the Savannah woodland of Niger, Taraba, Benue, Kwara and Kogi states.
“1.5 million trees are lost everyday, contributing to 3.5 per cent deforestation rate annually.
“This leads to significant CO2 emissions, biodiversity loss, drought, land degradation, desertification and health issues from inefficient production methods,” he said.
Mohammad urged stakeholders to work together towards a sustainable future, adding that the dialogue marked the beginning of a collective effort to address these pressing issues.
He said that the centre was committed to hosting a National Summit in June 2026 to further discuss these pressing matters.
Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and CNL, has refuted allegations in the media that it is involved in an ongoing oil spill in its Berth Offshore Platform (BOP), which is impacting communities in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State in the western operations area.
Chevron Nigeria Offices
According to CNL, the allegation of oil spill in its BOP in Ondo State is not true.
Chevron stated that it remains committed to protecting people and the environment and to conducting its operations reliably and efficiently in compliance with regulatory requirements and consideration for the environment.
“CNL is committed to the socio-economic development and empowerment of communities neighbouring its areas of operations,” added the organisation.
