The Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF) has launched a Community Seed Bank in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State in Nigeria to encourage sustainable practices in the use of traditional medicine among the Ugbe indigenous people.
Participants in the ceremonial launching of the Community Seed Bank in Benue State, hosted by the Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF) with support from the UNDP Global Environment Facility-Small Grants Programme (UNDP-GEF-SGP).
Speaking about the motivation behind the project, Dr. Eunice Ortom, the founder of the organisation, stated that ESLF collaborated with the UNDP Global Environment Facility-Small Grants Programme (UNDP-GEF-SGP) to implement the initiative as part of its strategic efforts to combat biodiversity loss and inspire ecosystem conservation in the country.
Dr. Ortom, who was represented at the ceremony by Dr. Comfort Abaa, the ESLF Programme Coordinator, added that its goals are to improve value in terms of production and marketing to boost the income of individual practitioners, enhance community prosperity, and improve the economy of both the state and nation at large.
Other stakeholders who commented on the programme applauded the idea and the efforts behind it, urging security in the area to safeguard the scheme and enable it to fulfil its intended purpose.
Timothy Tavershima Ahile, the Ter Kwande and leader Kwande Traditional Council, who commissioned the bank, commended ESLF for launching the project in his area to help preserve medical herbs, which he described as vital to his people’s traditional legacy.
The traditional leader bemoaned the fact that they were losing the majority of their herbs due to indiscriminate bush burning and unrelenting tree felling, a serious issue he admitted the community seed bank would assist in addressing.
“What our forefathers used, which are herbs, for medicinal purposes are fast disappearing. By this intervention, forests will be repopulated with those same herbs that have been assisting our people to address health challenges, and it will go a long way to improve the health of the community,” he said.
Similarly, Tyoor Moon, Chief Gabriel Awua Wende, who traced the project’s origins back to 2021 when he first met ESLF, thanked the foundation and GEF-SGP for constructing the seed bank for his people and raising awareness about biodiversity protection.
Teseer Ugbor, Member Representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency, who was represented by Patrick Pev, Constituency Office Director, praised the project as laudable and asked the community to support and ensure its smooth execution.
Mr. Thaddeus Nyooso, the chairman of the Project Implementation Committee, characterised the project as a predicament eradication, health-boosting, and restoration of domestic and global biodiversity initiative.
He appreciated the series of sensitisation workshops and trainings on sustainable traditional medicine practices carried out under this programme, affirming that traditional medicine is integral to African culture and offers affordable and accessible remedies for all.
“Ugbe is a home of natural resources, and its people are endowed with knowledge of herbs, trees and plant barks that are highly curative for ailments like cancer, hepatitis, diabetes and ulcers, among others,” Nyooso asserted.
On his part, Tine Agernor, manager of the UNDP GEF-SGP project, thanked all of the stakeholders and members of the community for supporting the success of the project, stating that it will have a significant impact on the community both now and in the future.
Other highlights of the occasion included the launch of the community bylaws on natural resources management, the presentation of a certificate of registration to the Ugbe Traditional Medicine Practitioners Cooperative Society, and the inauguration of the Community Forest Guards Group, which would be at the forefront of protecting the community’s biodiversity architecture.
The event concluded with a tour of the Community Seed Bank facility and the official flag-off of planting 1000 indigenous trees in the community to save rare medicinal seed trees from extinction, conserve biodiversity, protect our collective future, and ensure healthier living for all, in line with the ESLF’s vision of “a society without barriers to decent living.
The Federal Government has inaugurated a transport scheme known as “Project CNG-SPROUT” an initiative aimed at promoting Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered transportation in all Nigerian universities.
The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, Commissioning the pilot phase of the CNG – SPROUT project at the FEMADEC AutoGas Centre, Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, said this on Thursday, May 29, 2025, while inaugurating the pilot phase of the project at the FEMADEC AutoGas Centre, Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, formerly known as UniAbuja.
the project is the first out of the 20 projects to be delivered across universities in the country, while additional five would be commissioned in June.
It aims to improve mobility and reduce transportation cost for students and lecturers thereby establishing CNG ecosystems, donating CNG-powered buses and tricycles, as well as providing subsidised conversion services for lecturers’ vehicles.
The initiative, which serves as Special Palliative Relief on University Transportation (CNG – SPROUT) Project, aims at deploying CNG buses, tricycles, conversion centres and refueling infrastructure to university campuses nationwide.
Ekpo said there was need to cushion the impact of high cost of transportation on the most vulnerable populations, including students,
“This project remains a key national priority, as Nigeria navigates through economic adjustment and transition to cleaner fuels,” he said.
The minister said that further incentives especially as it concerned CNG vehicle conversion, expanding refueling infrastructure, and supporting local assembly and innovation in the CNG value chain, would be unveiled in the coming months.
“President Bola Tinubu has made a firm commitment to prioritise energy affordability, security and environmental responsibility; today’s commissioning is a direct demonstration of that commitment in action.
“Through the Presidential Compressed Gas Initiative (P-CNGI), we are not only mitigating the impact of recent subsidy reforms but also laying the foundation for a modern, gas-driven transport economy.
“As Nigeria navigates the pathway of energy reform, economic adjustment and transition to cleaner fuels, the need to cushion the impact on the most vulnerable populations, including students, remained a key national priority.
“I will like to specially commend FEMADEC Energy for their vision, commitment and leadership in bringing this project to life. FEMADEC has shown that Nigerian companies have the capacity to be at the forefront of energy innovation.
“Their partnership with the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF) underlines what is possible when the private and public sectors work hand-in-hand for national development,’’ Ekpo said.
According to the minister, the MDGIF has remained a steadfast partner in the actualisation of Nigeria’s Decade of Gas vision, providing catalytic funding and support to infrastructure projects that directly benefit the Nigerian people.
He commended the collaborative efforts of the P-CNGI, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Transportation, university administrators and private sector partners, who have worked tirelessly to make the project a reality.
The minister said that the students voices, challenges and aspirations have shaped the intervention, hence the Federal Government’s continued effort to ensure that affordable transport, clean energy and innovations were never out of students reach.
Ekpo further said that the Federal Government would continue to deepen the Decade of Gas agenda, as it expands similar initiatives, not just to university campuses, but across other public institutions and commercial sectors.
“In the coming months, we will be unveiling further incentives for CNG vehicle conversion, expanding refueling infrastructure, and supporting local assembly and innovation in the CNG value chain.”
In his address, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, lauded the project, saying that it would enable staff and students of the institution to have their cars converted and refilled with CNG for affordable transportation.
He expressed satisfaction with the recent reforms and programmes of government to energise education in various universities across the country.
Prof. Patricia Lar, Acting Vice Chancellor, Yakubu Gowon University (former UniAbuja), who was excited over the project, commended the Federal Government and the project facilitators for the initiative.
Lar lauded the facilitators for providing five 18-seater buses and many tricycles for the pilot scheme.
She decried the difficulties faced by students in transporting themselves to school, noting that the initiative would bring immediate relief to the them and their lecturers.
The MDGIF which is domiciled in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is a fund established to improve gas infrastructure and utilisation.
The CNG-SPROUT project is being delivered through the collaboration of the MDGIF, P-CNGI and FEMADEC Energy.
A new initiative in one of the world’s most vital ecosystems – the Congo Basin – aims to unlock nature-positive, climate-resilient business opportunities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises across critical green sectors.
Congo Basin rainforest
The partnership between the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), will initially invest $15 million, which will serve as a catalyst to raise additional public and private finance, ultimately targeting a total investment of $30 million in the region.
By fostering local entrepreneurship and pioneering blended finance opportunities, Pro-Congo aims to demonstrate that businesses – whose model does not depend on deforestation – can develop, raise capital and sell products to market intermediaries thereby reducing carbon emissions, combatting deforestation, and promoting environmentally sustainable practices in one of the world’s most climate-critical regions.
The Congo Basin rainforest is one of the world’s largest carbon sinks. It is home to over 75 million people, including Indigenous Peoples whose livelihoods are deeply intertwined with the forest. Despite its importance and the ongoing threat of deforestation and unsustainable land use, this critical ecosystem has not received the same level of attention compared to tropical forests in Southeast Asia or the Amazon basin.
The Pro-Congo initiative, which supports four countries in the region – Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo – is designed to contribute to reversing these trends by empowering local entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises to lead the transition to a green economy and crowd in third party capital from impact investors and development banks.
“UNCDF is proud to unlock finance where it is needed most, supporting MSMEs in the Congo Basin to become nature-positive while creating jobs and driving sustainable growth. Our unique capital mandate within the UN development system allows us to address gaps in fragile contexts where traditional financial mechanisms often fall short. Through blended finance solutions we can unlock public and private capital and de-risk investments, while augmenting the development impact of our UN partners like UNEP,” said Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, the Executive Secretary of UNCDF.
UNCDF will support a pipeline of investment-ready enterprises able to absorb blended capital and create long-term value, deploying an initial $6.2 million in concessional finance, including loans and reimbursable grants to MSMEs with the potential to scale, while UNEP will lead on technical assistance, ensuring enterprises adopt robust environmental and social safeguards, providing seed funding, and building investment-ready business models through incubation and acceleration programmes.
“The Congo Basin, with its unique biodiversity and above and below ground carbon stores, is critical to advance on international environmental targets. UNEP is therefore pleased to work with UNCDF and CAFI to support enterprises in the region to ‘decouple’ deforestation from economic activities,” said Rose Mwebaza, Director of UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa.
The Pro-Congo Initiative is supported by a dynamic coalition of CAFI donors – including Germany, Belgium, France, Norway, Sweden, the European Union, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom – alongside the six Central African partner countries in the Congo Basin.
UNCDF and UNEP are working closely with impact investors, development finance institutions, and national stakeholders to build a robust pipeline of investable, inclusive, and sustainable enterprises. By creating a scalable ecosystem for green finance, the initiative will contribute to the foundation for long-term resilience, climate action, and inclusive economic development in the Congo Basin.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Thursday, May 29, 2025, the expansion of the successful Health Security Partnership to Strengthen Disease Surveillance in Africa (HSPA) to seven countries on the continent.
Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa
Africa experiences more disease outbreaks than any other part of the world. While significant progress has been made in strengthening disease surveillance over the past decade, no country can tackle today’s complex health threats alone.
The Health Security Partnership strengthens disease surveillance and epidemic intelligence across the African continent, enabling countries to better detect and respond to public health threats – whether they are natural, accidental or deliberate. Launched in 2023 in six countries, The Gambia, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa and Tunisia, the partnership will expand to Rwanda in its second phase which runs from 2025 to 2028.
At the heart of the initiative is a collaborative surveillance approach that connects health and security sectors to reduce biological risks and strengthen surveillance systems nationally and internationally.
“HSPA represents an important step forward in building stronger partnerships for health security in Africa. By bringing together global, regional and national actors, this initiative supports countries in strengthening Collaborative Surveillance through mutual exchange and practical action. WHO remains committed to working alongside Member States to ensure that these collective efforts are well-coordinated, responsive, and rooted in national priorities,” said Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa; Deputy Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
The partnership is supporting countries to strengthen capacities in biorisk management, event and indicator-based surveillance, genomic surveillance and epidemic intelligence. This is achieved through training, guidance development, co-creation of implementation roadmaps, and hands-on technical assistance to ensure that implementation is aligned with country priorities, embedded within broader national systems, and built for long-term sustainability.
“Within the framework of this project, Africa CDC will work with the Member States in mobilizing political will for biosecurity and surveillance, establishing regional frameworks for bio-surveillance of high-consequence biological agents and toxins, and coordinating event-based surveillance. The collaboration with other partners and coordination with Member States is crucial especially in the current context of limited resources to strengthen the continent’s capacity for early detection, response, and management of biological threats,”said Dr Raji Tajudeen, Acting Deputy Director General and Head, Division of Public Health Institutes and Research, Africa CDC.
The HSPA initiative has been supported from the start by the Government of Canada through its Weapons Threat Reduction Program, with additional funding in phase two from the Government of the United Kingdom.
Building on the achievements in phase one, the participating countries, with support from WHO and partners, will accelerate implementation to build a healthier, safer and more resilient Africa.
Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected as the new President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Sidi Ould Tah
Tah was elected on Thursday, May 29, 2025, by the Bank’s Board of Directors at the bank’s annual meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The board comprises Finance and Economy ministers, Governors of Central Banks across Africa and the 81 regional and non-regional members of the Bank.
The keenly contested election saw Amadou Hott of Senegal scoring 3.5 per cent of the total votes casts, Samuel Maimbo of Zambia 20.26 per cent and Tah 76.18 per cent
The new president will take over from Dr Akinwumi Adesina, a Nigerian economist, who led the AfDB for 10 years following his election in 2015.
Niale Kaba, the Minister of Planning and Development for Cote d’ Ivoire and chairman of the board of Governors of AfDB, announced the results.
The president-elect is required to score about 50.1 per cent of regional and non-regional votes casts.
Tah has more than 35 years of experience both in African and International Finance.
He was president of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa for 19 years and transformed the bank’s balance sheet.
The president-elect also secured an AAA rating for the bank, positioning it as one of the tops on the continent.
He was also Mauritania’s former Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance.
As senior personnel of multilateral institution, he mobilised huge resources for Africa.
Addressing the Bank Group’s governors and the media shortly after the announcement, Tah said, “Let’s go to work now, I’m ready!”
The other candidates in the election were:
Amadou Hott (Senegal)
Samuel Maimbo (Zambia)
Mahamat Abbas Tolli (Chad)
Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala (South Africa)
Tah will assume office on September 1, 2025, for a five-year term, following the end of the second mandate of current President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.
The African Development Bank’s past heads since its inception in 1964 are:
Mamoun Beheiry (Sudan), 1964-1970
Abdelwahab Labidi (Tunisia), 1970-1976
Kwame Donkor Fordwor (Ghana), 1976-1980
Willa Mung’Omba (Zambia), 1980-1985
Babacar N’diaye (Senegal), 1985-1995
Omar Kabbaj (Morocco), 1995-2005
Donald Kaberuka (Rwanda), 2005-2015
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (Nigeria), 2015-2025.
The election of a new president comes at a crucial time in the Bank Group’s six decades of existence. Africa has remained resilient despite climate shocks, economic disruption, and a shifting geopolitical landscape, but needs to move faster or risk falling behind on delivering on the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals, summed up in the Bank Group’s High 5’s.
The 2025 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group are taking place from May 26 to 30 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire under the theme “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.”
The African Development Bank Group comprises three entities: the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund and the Nigeria Trust Fund. Its shareholder countries include 54 African countries or regional member countries, and 27 non-African countries or non-regional member countries.
The newly elected AfDB President has pledged to serve the continent with humility and a deep sense of duty.
Tah said this in his acceptance speech delivered before African finance ministers, governors of the Bank, and dignitaries at the AfDB Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
He expressed profound gratitude to African nations for the confidence reposed in him.
“It is with great humility and a sense of responsibility that I speak to you at this special moment.
“I would like to thank Africa for the trust it has placed in me. I fully appreciate the responsibility and duty that come with it,” he said.
He paid special tribute to his home country, Mauritania, and President Mohamed El-Ghazaouani, whose strong support and diplomatic outreach were instrumental in securing his election.
“I thank my country and President El-Ghazaouani, who supported my candidacy and made tireless efforts to ensure the success we have just witnessed,” he said.
The new AfDB president also acknowledged the unwavering solidarity shown by Africans across the continent and extended heartfelt appreciation to his campaign team for their commitment throughout the election process.
“I will like to make a special mention of my team, who did a remarkable job from beginning to end. I express my deepest gratitude to them,” he said.
While he recognised the many individuals and groups who supported his candidacy, Tah emphasised that the time for celebration was over and called for immediate action.
“Now, let us go to work! I am ready,” he said.
Tah succeeds Dr Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria.
Adesina had served two successful terms and was widely praised for expanding the Bank’s capital base and amplifying its development impact across the continent.
Experts say Tah’s tenure begins at a time when the continent was grappling with multiple economic challenges, including climate shocks, debt distress, and the urgent need for sustainable infrastructure financing.
As he steps into this pivotal role, expectations are high that Tah will continue to strengthen the AfDB’s role as a cornerstone institution for Africa’s development and integration.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Niger State has engaged stakeholders on preparedness and mitigation strategies towards alleviating the impact of anticipated floods in the state.
Participants at the stakeholders’ engagement on National disaster Preparedness and Response Campaign (NPRC) 2025 in Minna
Mrs. Zubaida Umar, Director-General of NEMA, said this at a stakeholders’ engagement on National disaster Preparedness and Response Campaign (NPRC) 2025 in Minna, the state capital, on Thursday, May 29, 2025.
The theme of the engagement is: “Strengthening Resilience, Enhancing Preparedness and Response”.
Umar, represented by Dr Ishaya Chonoko, Zonal Director in Charge of North West Zone of NEMA, said that the engagement was to strengthen resilience, enhance preparedness, and response to flood disasters across the country.
She said NEMA had received insights into rainfall patterns and flood scenarios for 2025 from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).
“NEMA will deploy teams to all states to engage with flood-prone communities, taking early warning messages to the grassroots.
“This will be done with the support of state Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), and community volunteers,” she said.
The director-general called on partners such as the traditional institutions, religious organisations, women and youth groups and the media, to support the initiative, saying disaster management was everyone’s business.
According to her, all hands must be on deck to take the right early warning to safeguard communities at risk, protect critical infrastructure and support uninterrupted socio-economic activities in various communities.
“There is a need to step up our games on what we can do differently from the past and come up with solutions and prepare for quick response,” she added.
Also speaking, Dr Hussaini Ibrahim, Overseeing Director-General, Niger state Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), said the meeting would proffer solutions to flooding, preparedness, and response from expected flooding to save lives and property and minimise flooding.
Similarly, Alhaji Ahmed Yumu, Commissioner, Ministry for Humanitarian and Disaster Management, said the campaign would help reduce impacts of annually recurring floods in the state.
In attendance were Mr. Hussaini Isah, Head, NEMA, Minna Operations Office, Area Manager of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr. Akapo Adeboye, traditional leaders and stakeholders from the police and army, amongst others.
In a related development, NEMA, in collaboration with the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), on Thursday launched the National Preparedness and Response Campaign (NPRC) on flood disaster in Nasarawa State.
Mrs. Zubaida Umar, NEMA Director-General, while speaking at a One Day stakeholders’ engagement on NPRC in Lafia, the state capital, said the campaign focused on flood prevention, preparation, mitigation, and response.
According to her, NPRC and stakeholders’ engagement is aimed at reducing the impacts of annual floods, safeguarding livelihoods, and driving socioeconomic growth and development in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
The director general represented by Mr. Aliyu Waziri, Director, NEMA North Central Zonal Directorate, said that annual floods in Nigeria had caused significant loss of lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure.
She explained that the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction and Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA), had provided valuable insight into rainfall patterns and flood scenarios.
“We have also produced vulnerability maps for all communities at risk to serve as tools to guide government in developing risk reduction measures.
“Public and private institutions, humanitarian organisations, schools, children and youth organisations are expected to leverage these tools to support NEMA’s effort,” she said.
The DG explained that the Agency had developed disaster mitigation strategies, including capacity building of local emergency responders, simulation exercises, and adherence to predicted rainfall onset before planting.
“Other mitigation strategies are; desilting of drainages, integrity tests for critical infrastructure, evacuation plans, Community-based information, sharing, and increased safety and security surveillance,” he added.
Mr. Benjamin Akwash, Director-General, Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), said the Gov. Abdullahi Sule-led administration was committed to protecting the lives and livelihoods of residents, especially victims of disasters.
He said the state government had been consistent in supporting NASEMA, which enabled the agency to cater to the needs of flood-impacted communities and victims of communal crises in various local government areas.
“I want to thank NEMA for this engagement, I implore the stakeholders to participate actively to guide and prepare them for the 2025 flood prediction as Nasarawa state is among the states flood is expected,” he said.
In her presentation on the overview of NPRC, Mrs. Bernadette Obaje, Chief Search and Rescue Officer, NEMA, harped on preparedness and risk reduction, which entails early warning dissemination, stakeholders’ coordination and planning.
The climax of the 2025 NEMA/NPRC stakeholders’ engagement was an awareness campaign on flood and fire disaster preparedness and response at Gandu Community, Federal University of Lafia.
The stakeholders’ engagement drew participants from the Police, Fire Service, Department of State Security Services (DSS) and the vice chairmen of the 13 local government areas of the state.
As Nigeria prepare its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) under the Paris Agreement, Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS), has charged stakeholders in the climate change sector to prioritise collation of timely and adequate data in driving the process.
Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS)
Dr. Maduekwe gave the charge in her goodwill message on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, while declaring open the “Stakeholder Consultation, Engagement and Data Collation Workshop for the Preparation of the NDC 3.0 of Nigeria” with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), in Lagos.
Speaking through Halima Bawa-Bwari, a Director in the NCCCS, the Director-General noted that “the workshop on the revision of Nigeria’s NDCs and the collation of data and technical analysis are critical pillars of our national climate ambition and policy planning.”
According to her, “the NDC represents Nigeria’s commitment under the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The revision process is not merely an update, it is a chance to raise our ambition, align our national plans with the latest science, and present the progress we’ve made since our last submission.
“This series of consultation workshops is particularly significant because robust and credible data underpins effective climate action. Data enables parties to access current statuses, enables the setting of ambitious but realistic targets, while enabling monitoring of progress made in the effort to achieving climate action and aligning to the Paris Agreement.”
She added: “Accurate and timely data is a key requirement that will enable government to make evidence-based decisions, track our progress, and ensure transparency and accountability in reporting. To achieve this, there is a dear need for engagement, collaboration, and partnership between governments, private sector actors, civil society, NGOs, people with disabilities, among others. This will facilitate the collation of a robust database that can transform our climate change commitments into tangible, progressive action.
“As we move forward, let us seize this opportunity to align our NDC with the urgent need for climate action in all the sectors of the economy, as the ambition of this government is an economy-wide NDC which has a broadened scope that leaves no one behind. Together, we can pave the way for a future where NDCs are not only policy documents but solutions driving sustainability, resilience, and prosperity for all.”
While appreciating the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for their technical and financial support in making the workshop possible, Maduekwe however encouraged all participants to engage openly, share knowledge, raise questions, and work collaboratively to ensure that the outcomes of the workshop feed directly into a stronger and more responsive NDC revision process.
In his submission, Professor Emmanuel Oladipo, a seasoned environmentalist and a university scholar, commended the NCCCS to organising the workshop, saying that it’s the right call in the right direction.
He, however, advised that there should be an implementation plan from the NCCCS to make their plans towards the NDCs more feasible.
According to him “NCCCS should start the thinking on the strategy to do 200 things at a time which might be a bit difficult in my opinion. When I saw that the NDC implementation framework was made, I was happy. You can’t do an implementation framework if we have implemented it. It would have been very clear that some of the things you wanted to do may not be possible.
“And each time I come back to the council, you know, the universities that the federal government is supporting to use solar energy to develop themselves. I kept on asking of the council, are you following all of these? Do you have a way by which you can go CO2 emission savings where everybody is saving universities?
“To me, you can come back in another five years to be right in the same thing. Let us agree that this is very important. Whatever will come out of this NDC framework, which I don’t think is going to be very easy, must be a very, very clear, addictive implementation plan,” he stated.
The ongoing “Consultation, Engagement and Data Collation Workshop for the Preparation of The NDC 3.0″ represents Nigeria’s commitment under the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The workshop had in attendance members of NCCCS, representatives of MDAs, academia, and representatives from the UNDP in attendance.
The 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will be hosted by Mongolia in its capital city, Ulaanbaatar, from August 17 to 28, 2026.
Mongolia
The landmark global event will bring together delegates from 197 Parties, heads of state, ministers, representatives from international organisations, scientific communities, civil society, and the private sector to forge solutions to the interconnected challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought.
Mongolia, with a vast territory of 1.56 million square kilometres, is experiencing land degradation across approximately 76.9 per cent of its land. Recognising the critical role of land management in addressing the triple environmental crisis, the country has become a key voice in global efforts to combat desertification and enhance land resilience.
Mongolia’s ambitious development agendas – particularly its interconnected national movements on environment and agriculture – position the country as a strategic host for COP17 of the UNCCD.
COP17 will be convened in alignment with the United Nations International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026), offering a crucial global opportunity to highlight sustainable rangeland management and the needs of more than one billion people who directly depend on these vital ecosystems for their livelihoods.
During the two-week conference, participants will engage in a high-level segment that includes ministerial dialogues, along with multi-stakeholder forums and thematic discussions on science–policy integration, innovation, solutions, technology, and financing. The event is expected to foster impactful collaboration and action across sectors, advancing the goals of sustainable land management, ecosystem and land restoration, and the implementation of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets.
To build momentum toward COP17 and increase public awareness and youth engagement, Mongolia has already launched a series of national initiatives. One key upcoming event is the “Youth4Land” national forum, scheduled for June 16–17, 2025, in Mandalgovi city, Dundgovi Province, in observance of Desertification and Drought Day.
The forum will bring together over 100 young herders, researchers, and policymakers to co-develop sustainable land solutions rooted in traditional knowledge and scientific evidence. This national initiative is part of the country’s efforts to implement outcomes from previous UNCCD COPs and promote inclusive participation.
Mongolia’s strong development and environmental agenda – including the national “Billions of Trees” movement, the “White Gold” community-based rural development initiative, and the “Food Revolution” agri-soil initiative – positions the country as a regional and global model of action.
Hosting COP17 will provide a historic opportunity to elevate international cooperation on land, climate, and biodiversity to a new level, according to the UNCCD.
According to the UN body, the conference will mark a significant step forward in uniting the world around solutions to land degradation and climate challenges, solidifying Mongolia’s contribution to building a sustainable and resilient future for all.
On Saturday, May 31,the world will mark World No Tobacco Day 2025 under the banner “Bright Products. Dark Intentions”. This year’s theme sheds light on the tobacco industry’s tactics to lure women and young people into addiction through flavoured and colourful products.
WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Dr Hanan Balkhy
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death globally, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region bearing a significant burden. The Region has the highest smoking rates among adolescent boys, with countries like Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt ranking among the highest globally. The promotion of new nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, has led to higher dependency rates among vulnerable groups.
Globally, 37 million children aged 13–15 years use tobacco. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, smoking rates in some areas have reached 43% among adolescent boys (aged 13–15 years) and 20% among adolescent girls. The highest prevalence of tobacco use among boys is recorded in the occupied Palestinian territory (West Bank) at 43.3%, followed by Jordan at 33.9% and the Syrian Arab Republic at 31.6%.
The tobacco industry’s promotion of new nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, is particularly concerning. These products often feature flavours and colorful designs that attract women and young people, leading to higher dependency rates. With over 16 000 flavours of e-cigarettes available, it’s no surprise that in some countries nine out of 10 e-cigarette users are drawn to the flavoured products that target younger users.
Alarmingly, the gap in tobacco use between men and women is narrowing, with more women and girls taking up smoking, exposing them to health risks such as cervical cancer, osteoporosis and fertility issues. Meanwhile, the Region already has the highest smoking rates among adolescent boys, underscoring the urgent need for action.
“Our Region has the highest youth smoking rates in the world. We must act to protect the next generation. Let us stand together and make it crystal clear. No more tricks. No more traps. Let’s unite for a tobacco-free future,” says WHO Regional Director, Dr Hanan Balkhy.
In response to the alarming rise in tobacco use among women and adolescents, the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has launched a targeted initiative. This initiative recognises that women and adolescents share common vulnerabilities, including socioeconomic factors and health care needs that make them susceptible to the industry’s tactics.
Governments, stakeholders and communities must work together to: ban tobacco product flavours and attractive designs; implement graphic health warnings on packaging; restrict advertising and promotion; and increase taxes on tobacco products.
“We need to work with all stakeholders, led by governments, to limit/ban the use of flavours and attractive colourful designs, especially for emerging products including, but not limited to, e-cigarettes and vapes. Let us unite for a tobacco-free future. We owe it to our children, our communities and our future generations to take bold action against the tobacco industry’s tactics,” Dr Balkhy says.
He adds: “On World No Tobacco Day 2025, let’s raise awareness about the tobacco industry’s dark intentions and work towards a tobacco-free future. Together, we can make a difference and protect the health and well-being of our communities. Let’s spread the word and unite for a tobacco-free future!”
Ahead of the World No Tobacco Day commemorated on May 31 annually, anti-tobacco advocates from Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, South Africa and Zambia have decried the proliferation of alternative nicotine delivery systems, including e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, snus and nicotine pouches facilitated by sophisticated digital marketing strategies of the tobacco industry to circumvent traditional advertising regulations, potentially exposing young people to such products daily.
According to scientists, tobacco smoking is dangerous to health
They raised the alarm on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at a Webinar with the theme “Ubuntu, We Unmask the Appeal: Exposing Tobacco Industry Tactics” convened by the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), Vital Voices for Africa (VVA) and Being Africa.
In his welcome address, Philip Jakpor, Executive Director of RDI, said that the convening is aimed at eliciting more robust conversations on the menace of growing youth smoking rates due to industry marketing tactics and how activists and journalists can effectively play their societal watchdog role as encapsulated in the World Health Organisation MPOWER package.
Jakpor stressed that the convening deliberately included tobacco control advocates, veteran journalists, and development experts who were brought in to share their insights, in-country experiences on industry tactics of glamourising and making their lethal products attractive to young people as well as how activists and the media can synergise to galvanise policy makers to action.
In her intervention on How the TI industry addicts young people – Findings from Nigeria, Oluchi Joy Robert, a UK-based healthcare expert, said in Nigeria the tobacco industry has adapted to the use of social media and the internet in reaching a large audience that is made up of mainly young people and through the online channels, portray themselves as socially responsible.
In her words, “Nigeria is a peculiar case because of the teeming population of young people who are exposed to the internet. The tobacco Industry employs the use of targeted advertising, using online data to target specific demographics”.
She revealed that the entrepreneural initiative of the British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) which targets National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members is one among several innovations that the tobacco industry in Nigeria uses to deflect attention from the harms of their products. She pointed out however that the same industry markets their products through online marketing companies that make it possible for young people to order and procure limitless tobacco and nicotine products.
She argued that strengthening regulations around online tobacco marketing, including clear labelling of sponsored content and restrictions on targeting youth are some of the ways around the industry’s grip on the virtual space. She added that educating young people about the tactics used by the tobacco industry and the risks associated with tobacco use would also save young people.
In a similar vein, Paxina Phiri, Communications Specialist at the Centre for Primary Care Research Zambia, revealed that 14% of Zambian youth use tobacco products and the product kills over 7,000 Zambians each year.
She cited Big Tobacco, Tiny Targets, a 2024 report by her organisation which showed that tobacco products were available for purchase in shops/kiosks near schools and kids access them as they procure sweets and candies on their way to and from school.
She revealed that cigarettes in single sticks were also sold in such kiosks that are usually within 100 metre radius to schools. To make the tobacco products enticing, the kiosks are also provided posters, banners and other adverts.
According to her, disturbingly, most cigarette brands on sale in Zambia come from global corporations like BAT.
Professor Catherine Egbe, Senior Specialist Scientist, Tobacco Control, Mental health, Alcohol, Substance use & Tobacco Research Unit, South Africa Medical Research Centre, took the participants down the memory lane in her presentation titled “From Cigarettes to E-Cigarettes: Unmasking the New Face of Nicotine Addiction”.
Professor Egbe revealed that the tobacco industry had a long history of deceptive tactics dating back to 1953 when doctors were portrayed by the industry as lovers of the Carmel brand of cigarette. At the time, the industry started experimenting Social engineering to avoid health concerns raised by scientists about their products.
The publicity stunt on the Carmel brand designed by public relations firm – Hill & Knowlton was published in over 400 newspapers throughout the US and reached an estimated 43 million people. Subsequently there were attempts by the industry to deny or outrightly downplay tobacco harms.
Some of the efforts included the 1954 promise by George Weissman, head of marketing at Philip Morris, that the company would “stop business tomorrow” if they had any knowledge that their products were harmful to consumers, and the 1972 assertion by James C. Bowling, Vice President for Public Relations at Philip Morris, that if the company’s product are harmful it would stop making it.
In 1976, Helmut Wakeham, Vice President for Research at Philip Morris, claimed, “If the company as a whole believed that cigarettes were really harmful, we would not be in the business. We are a very moralistic company.“
Similarly, in 1984: Curtis H. Judge, President of Lorillard, in a deposition, stated that if cigarettes were proven to cause cancer, “No one should sell a product that is a proven cause of lung cancer.“
Egbe argued however that the industry knew many years earlier that their products were harmful, citing a 1963 memo by Addison Yeaman, Vice President and General Counsel of Brown & Williamson which contained the following information: “Moreover, nicotine is addictive. We are, then, in the business of selling nicotine, an addictive drug effective in the release of stress mechanisms.”
She went on to add that the industry’s introduction of E-cigarettes in the 1990s was a continuation of their business as usual philosophy but with the focus now being the youth who are targeted through aggressive marketing tactics.
Picking up from Egbe, Caleb Ayong, Founder, VVA, said that daily purchase of one pack cigarettes has an immediate and measurable impact on standard of living because it drives up health costs and reduces worker productivity.
His presentation titled “How tobacco Undermines UN SDGs” explained how tobacco use undermines virtually all the Sustainable Development Goals, even as he added that four out of every five smokers in the world live in countries with low or medium economic power.
According to him, the money these disadvantaged populations spend on buying cigarettes contributes to their inability to provide a balanced diet for themselves and their families.
He pointed out that smoking also contributes to hunger because valuable cultivated land is used for the cultivation of tobacco.
Tying tobacco directly to the SDGs, he said that tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death and disease worldwide which negates the UN’s third sustainable development goal of ensuring good health for all at all stages of life.
Tobacco use is also responsible for 90% of lung cancers and 25% of cancer deaths globally in addition to the fact that it increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke by 40%.
Other issues he listed include the Interruption of studies of children when their parents get sick from tobacco use, even as he stressed that the huge costs associated with smoking limits the opportunity to invest in education.
Mohammed Maikudi, Nigeria Country Lead, DaYTA Programme of the Development Gateway, made a presentation on Dearth of Data on Children and the DaYTA (Data on Tobacco Use among Adolescents), harping on gaps in data concerning 10 to 17-year-olds and the intervention from Development Gateway through the Data on Youth Tobacco Addiction (DaYTA).
Maikudi explained that the research was conducted in Kenya, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between 2023 and 2025. The research outcomes, which will be unveiled in the months ahead, focuses on 10-17 year olds, attempts to assess factors associated with all forms of adolescent tobacco use (i.e., smoked and smokeless tobacco) in each country, and estimate the prevalence of, and factors associated with the use of novel products such as electronic nicotine/non-nicotine delivery systems and nicotine pouches.
The research showed that current studies focussed mostly on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco while other products such as shisha and those that are emerging (e.g., e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches) are often not included. It also showed that School-based surveys- out of school adolescents are not captured in previous research works.
Speaking on “Empowering the Youth to Combat Tobacco Use”, Achieng Otieno, Founder, Being Africa, said that advocates must look unto the youths themselves as part of the solution to youth smoking and addiction.
Otieno said that in Kenya and South Africa young activists have used innovative tactics such as music campaigns to drive awareness on the dangers of tobacco. This, in addition to engaging educational institutions and outreaches targeting communities, have helped drive awareness on the power of the young people as change drivers.
He lamented the strain on health systems in Africa due to growing cases of tobacco related illnesses as well as the economic costs that are borne by the government and victims of tobacco use even as he added that advocates have serious work to do in stopping the tobacco menace.
This must however be through empowering youth advocates and leveraging on digital technologies that can reach huge audiences.
In his presentation on “Guide to Communicating Youth Smoking for Advocates and the Media”, Philip Jakpor, RDI Executive Director, said that the foundation for synergy in the work of advocates and media is the WHO MPOWER which essentially provides the framework for the roles of all anti-tobacco stakeholders especially activists and the media.
He stressed that the function of monitoring tobacco use warning about its dangers fall within the scope of work of media and activists. He went on to list some of the intersecting areas of work of both. They include Identifying threats to public health; Providing useful information for the government to initiate policies; Analysis and interpretation of government policies, and Mobilisation of citizens for action or support of government policies.
For the reports of advocates and the media to make sense, he said that they must quote relevant statistics such as from the WHO, Global Youth Tobacco Survey and national data, among others. They must also visit relevant websites for information, speak with experts, speak with young people, and focus on human angle.
He also listed outlets for promoting youth-focused tobacco reports. They include press statement, media advisory, articles, press briefings, policy briefs as well as interviews on radio, newspapers/magazines, TV, online platforms. Others are radio jingles, social media platforms and web meetings.
