As a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Nigeria has shown commitment to meeting its obligations by submitting its first and second Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The NDC is not merely a bureaucratic exercise; it is the benchmark by which the world collates and tracks its commitment to tackling the climate crisis and in delivering sustainable development. Once again Nigeria is showing leadership by working hard to submit its third Nationally Determined Contribution (a.k.a. NDC 3.0).
While our commitment to developing our Nationally Determined Contribution is commendable, it is important that we also work hard to avoid the some of the mistakes of the past. In 2021, Nigeria submitted its NDCs 2.0 where she committed to an unconditional reduction of emissions by 20% and a conditional target (contingent on international support) of 47% below BAU by 2030. This target was hailed by both international and experts as ambitious.
Yakubu kolo, Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Niger State
However, there was no clear implementation and funding plan which compromise action on the ground. Furthermore, the voices of subnational governments, which comprise the states and local governments that bear the brunt of climate impacts, were largely excluded. This is a profound misstep, as climate action is lived and felt at the community level, not just in Abuja boardrooms.
In Niger State, we are not waiting for direction from the centre before acting. We have launched community-based afforestation programmes, expanded climate-smart agriculture initiatives to build resilience among farmers, and developed early warning systems for floods and landslides that are saving lives in vulnerable communities.
These efforts, including the development of our green economy plan, while they are modest, equally demonstrate that subnational governments are ready to lead if given the recognition and support within national frameworks.
The process of developing NDC 3.0 has shown committed efforts to course-correct and be inclusive and people-centered. State governments were given the opportunity to provide input which we gladly participated in. We therefore hold the process in high esteem to reflect clarity and transparency in its targets, policies and measures and on cross-cutting issues and actions and it must therefore go beyond the rituals of getting input without an ounce of them reflected in the final document.
This next NDC must set clear ambition that reflects leadership, embed stronger adaptation strategies, and ensure financing is both practical and accessible to states. As the September submission deadline approaches, it must also align ambition with implementation, setting clear targets that are not just impressive on paper but actionable on the ground.
Above all, it must be ambitious, inclusive, and credible, it must reflect the important contributions of the subnational as the burden bearer of climate change vulnerabilities. Anything less would betray our people’s yearnings and squander our chance to lead Africa toward a climate-resilient future.
By Yakubu kolo, Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Niger State, Nigeria
Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bashir Bayo Ojulari, has said that crude oil theft should be recognised as a transnational organised crime, rather than treating it solely as a local issue.
He warned that international and continental criminal syndicates are exploiting security gaps across Africa to steal crude oil, undermining the continent’s energy security.
Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bashir Bayo Ojulari, speaking at the event
Ojulari made this known on Monday, August 25, while delivering a goodwill message at the 2025 African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit in Abuja, themed “Combating Contemporary Threats to Regional Peace and Security in Africa: The Role of Strategic Defence Collaboration.”
According to him, “Crude theft and its attendant illegal activities are by no means a purely localised occurrence.”
He therefore urged stronger collaboration among African military and security agencies, as well as continental cooperation within the continent to protect resources and promote growth.
Ojulari also explained that crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, in the Niger Delta, are declining due to intensified efforts by security agencies.
He said, “Crude oil and gas pipelines, as well as terminal receipts, which had previously dropped to as low as 20 percent, are now reaching nearly 100 percent thanks to the support of security forces and intelligence agencies.”
Ojulari stated that strategic collaboration with government security agencies has enabled the company to achieve near 100% crude oil pipeline availability, marking a critical milestone for NNPC Ltd. in the fight against crude oil theft.
The NNPC GCEO therefore reaffirmed the company’s commitment to working with military and intelligence agencies in the country and looks forward to broader frameworks emerging from the summit to support Africa’s energy security and shared prosperity.
The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), in partnership with Addis Ababa University, hosted the fifth International Symposium on Climate Change, opening the 5th cohort of Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justice (NSSCJ).
Running under the theme: “Aspiring a livable Future: youth-led Transformation in the Poly-crisis era”, the symposium was graced by Dr. Fitsum Assefa, the Minister of Planning and Development of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, alongside diplomats, development partners, civil society, academia, and youth.
Dr. Fitsum Assefa, Minister of Planning and Development of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Africa is bearing the adverse impacts of climate change, yet it emits 4% of global emissions. The climate- related hazards continue to cost African economies between 2 -5% of GDP annually. While collective climate action efforts are needed, the symposium highlighted the role of African youth in shaping solutions to the continent amid the escalating climate crisis.
Dr. Assefa reminded that a livable future is possible when the continent remains focused. She called on Africa to advocate for itself instead of waiting for others to act at its expense.
“We will not sit back and wait for the world to respond – we shall act, and act now. Africa must take its rightful place in global finance, in international architecture, and across all sectors. A livable future is possible if we act with purpose and courage,” said Dr. Assefa.
She added, “We know strategies and programmes alone are not enough. It is the creativity, passion and courage of young people that will carry us forward. The Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justice is a powerful testament to this truth.”
Ayelele Kabede, Programme Manager of the regional development cooperation, SIDA, stated that the challenges of climate change are intricate and interconnected. Therefore, addressing them requires anticipating changes and envisioning multiple futures.
“Future thinking is not about predicting the future with certainty but rather about broadening our understanding of what is possible, plausible, probable and preferable,” stressed Kabede.
In the global arena, calls for youth inclusion in the climate conversation have been a central point of discussion. Sebastian Lukas, deputy head of Mission, Danish Embassy in Ethiopia, challenged governments to shift the narrative and give youth space in negotiating spaces.
“Governments must do more than just talk about youth inclusion. They must take time to listen and ensure that youth voices are represented in negotiations,” said Lukas.
Dr. Mithika Mwenda, Executive Director of PACJA, said that no one should ignore the current polycrisis challenges and recommended youth as a hope for present and future generations.
“The threat is clear: a climate system that is spiralling out of control, along with increasing global inequalities, wars, pandemics, and economic shocks that are undermining societies. Yet, there is hope in the audacity of African youth, the bravery of social movements, and the solidarity of communities that refuse to surrender their future to despair,” said Dr. Mwenda.
Being conceptualised in 2021, the Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justice has trained over 2,000 youth from all countries on the continent, including those from Asia, South America, and Europe. It was designed to provide a timely opportunity for long-standing scholar-activists, community-based scholars and the younger generation of climate justice advocates, as well as practitioners from the Global South and North.
During the intensive two weeks of training, over 250 learners will follow modules to be delivered in Hybrid (physical and virtual learning format) blended with various learning approaches, including lectures, presentations, case studies, audio-visual media, facilitated discussions, group exercises, and field visits.
Last weekend, I visited Ayakoro community in Bayelsa State to attend the birthday thanksgiving service in honour of the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku. The experience was unique and brought me exciting memories. As we drove along I momentarily fell asleep as a result of the cool weather. Apparently, my driver had missed his way again because he refused to wake me up. As I opened my eyes, I saw a sign that indicated that we were in Oloibiri – that notable community where the oil that fuels our national economy was first discovered in a commercial quantity many years ago.
The picture clicked instantly. Thereafter we saw a construction site that the villagers said was an oil museum project undertaken by federal government. The residents later directed us towards another nearby community known as Otueke, where former President Goodluck Jonathan comes from. We then advanced further to a community called Onuebum before crossing over by boat to Ayakoro.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adgboyega Oyetola, addressing the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France on June 10, 2025
Despite the huge potentials few conversations are happening
I was intrigued by the network of creeks, rivers and rivulets as we travelled along although many of them appeared heavily polluted. The short boat ride provided an opportunity for me to reflect on the potentials of the blue economy in Bayelsa State, in particular, and the Niger Delta region as a whole. As I spent time thinking about the experience, I wondered why very few conversations are happening on this issue in Nigeria yet far-reaching innovations are being shaped from the oceans elsewhere in the world.
Blue economy is the sustainable use of marine resources for economic growth, job creation and improvement of livelihoods while protecting marine and coastal ecosystems. It encompasses a range of activities such as fisheries, tourism, offshore energy, shipping, marine biotechnology among others.
In the Niger Delta, the picture we have about our rivers and oceans is one of disasters, flooding, boat mishaps, kidnapping, piracy, and oil thefts, as though the negatives are all that our blue economy sector can offer. Yet, there can be many jobs to be created, and quantum revenue generated from beneath the surface of our creeks and waterways, from Nembe to Sapele, and from Andoni to Ibeno, and beyond.
Strong policies must connect with regional priorities.
Despite government efforts and intentions, many Nigerians, including those in the Niger Delta, remain unaware of the potential of the blue economy. Many aspiring professionals have yet to view the ocean as a viable career path. Policy makers still prefer to operate in traditional silos that hamper their productivity and minimise their impact, disconnected from coastal communities. The national policy on marine and blue economy, recently presented by the government, has been applauded as an initial positive step. However, the government alone cannot do this. Private sector players, development partners and civil society must come together to bring solutions and adapt examples of best practices.
Regional agencies, such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), as well as states and other subnational entities, play a crucial role in coordination and effectiveness. The projected target of generating $1.5 trillion for the national economy in 10 years is a helpful guide. The Niger Delta region is best positioned to lead the way. However, a clear roadmap on how this will happen should be articulated as a matter of urgency.
We need to tell our story by ourselves
The blue economy is central to the future of the Niger delta region. It will strengthen our economy; lessen the burden of youth unemployment, improve food security and support efforts to adapt to climate change. We need to tell our own story; otherwise, no one else will. We will no longer allow vested interests to hijack the narratives and twist them in furtherance of their interests and objectives. The enormous potentials that exist should be presented alongside clear pathways to overcome existing challenges. The narrative should be presented in comprehensive yet straightforward language that is accessible to diverse audiences. Researchers must now urgently decouple complex marine knowledge into easy-to-comprehend information.
Residents in coastal communities, especially women and youth, should be encouraged to share their stories of experience. That story should not be about risks alone but also about a pragmatic approach towards developing resilience and preserving their livelihoods. It is our responsibility to amplify these coastal voices to ensure that they are heard in decision-making spaces from boardrooms to parliaments.
We have another opportunity to do things differently
Strong voices in the region must take control of the conversation with clarity, urgency and purpose. Otherwise, we may lose the chance to uplift our communities again. Our approach in the Niger delta should now be deliberately different and optimistic. Islands of progress should be encouraged and celebrated in the sea of past disappointments. The last time was during the oil boom, when we pointed fingers elsewhere to external actors far from ourselves. We accused multinational oil companies and the parasitic elite. We have another opportunity, and we cannot afford to lose it. This time it will be inexplicable.
Revamping more ports will unlock Nigeria’s blue economy
To make the Niger Delta the expected hub for national blue economy efforts, decisive actions must be taken by relevant stakeholders. Multiple informed sources have confirmed that Nigeria’s over-reliance on the port in Lagos has continued to hinder the country’s maritime potential. Investments in port infrastructure would significantly enhance national development and improve the country’s maritime logistics framework. Revamping more ports in the country will unlock the country’s blue economy. Securing our waterways has become urgent to attract investment in marine transport.
Our territorial waters have continued to serve as a haven for unregulated fishing by foreign invaders. Thinking beyond oil should not be a slogan anymore. It should be translated into a realistic initiative pregnant with possibilities. We have an opportunity to change the course of our national history by leveraging the blue economy promises in the Niger Delta to re-launch our country to a path of sustainable prosperity.
By Uche Igwe, Ph.D, a blue economy enthusiast and co-convener, Niger Delta Blue Economy Investment Summit. He can be reached on ucheigwe@gmail.com
Norway has launched the world’s first commercial carbon storage service, successfully injecting CO2 beneath the North Sea seabed. The Northern Lights consortium, led by Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies, operates this groundbreaking project.
Their goal is to capture CO2 from factories across Europe and store it underground, stopping harmful emissions from entering the atmosphere. This step marks a new chapter in fighting climate change by reducing industrial carbon footprints.
Norway has launched a CO2 seabed storage service
Captured CO2 is liquefied and shipped to Norway’s Oygarden terminal near Bergen on the west coast. From there, it moves into large tanks before traveling through a 110-kilometre pipeline. It is injected about 2.6 kilometres beneath the seabed for permanent storage in a geological reservoir. The first injection came from a German cement plant in Brevik, marking a key milestone for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.
CCS is recognised by the UN’s IPCC and the International Energy as a vital tool to lower emissions, especially for hard-to-decarbonise industries like cement and steel. Despite its potential, CCS remains costly and complex. Currently, it’s often cheaper for companies to buy pollution permits than to invest in capturing and storing CO2, limiting widespread adoption.
Northern Lights has secured three commercial contracts so far, including partnerships with a Dutch ammonia plant, Danish biofuel plants, and a Swedish thermal power plant. The project is largely funded by the Norwegian government, with an annual storage capacity of 1.5 million tonnes of CO2. This capacity is expected to grow to five million tonnes by 2030, offering hope for scaling up carbon storage solutions.
In conclusion, Norway’s Northern Lights project pioneers a promising method to fight climate change. By safely locking away industrial CO2 beneath the sea, it offers a practical way to cut emissions.
As the technology improves and expands, it could play a crucial role in global carbon reduction efforts. The world will be watching to see how this “CO2 graveyard” shapes the future of clean energy.
Fury is rising in Pretoria and Johannesburg over the quiet removal of elephants from city zoos – animals that for decades symbolised wildlife heritage for ordinary South Africans who could not afford national park trips.
The latest flashpoint came when Charley, Pretoria Zoo’s last elephant bull and a star attraction for more than 20 years, was transferred to the elite Shambala Game Reserve in Limpopo.
Three elephants at the Johannesburg Zoo
The move, approved by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), has sparked outrage from Tshwane residents who accuse authorities of “robbing the poor to benefit the rich.”
“We came for the elephant bull Charley, but it’s so sad to find out that it’s gone,” said Ms. Nkomi Moukangwe from Soshanguve.
“It’s not fair to remove him without our knowledge or consent. We just want to see elephants, not monkeys, we see every day.”
An Elite Transfer
SANBI spokesperson Nontsikelelo Mpulo confirmed Charley’s relocation after “a call for expressions of interest about providing a retirement home.”
The winning bid came from the EMS Foundation and the Steyn family’s Shambala Private Game Reserve, a venue widely seen as accessible only to South Africa’s wealthy elite.
Zoo staff fear the move is driven less by animal welfare and more by prestige.
“That elephant is likely going to attract tourists based on its history,” said one official.
For ordinary families, however, Charley was more than an exhibit—he was often the only elephant their children ever saw in real life.
Families in Pain
At the zoo, disappointment was palpable. Boitumelo Moukangwe, who brought her two-year-old son for his birthday, left heartbroken.
“My son doesn’t even know what an elephant looks like in real life. Now he only sees them on TV,” she said.
“Replacing Charley is not a luxury but a necessity. We cannot afford Kruger trips. That’s why zoos exist.”
Residents accuse SANBI of betrayal, warning that elephants may just be the beginning.
“Today it’s elephants, tomorrow giraffes, then hippos,” said Boitumelo.
“Soon there will be no zoo animals left.”
Community petitions and protests are already being organised.
Johannesburg Next?
Charley’s removal is not an isolated case. Johannesburg Zoo faces legal pressure from the EMS Foundation to release its three elephants, with surprising backing from Harvard Law School as “friends of the court.”
A Johannesburg Zoo official confirmed the looming September hearing but warned of dire consequences:
“Not every African child can afford Kruger. Here we host non-fee-paying schools, giving children their first – and often only – chance to see elephants. Every African child deserves to see their heritage animal.”
The official accused foreign NGOs of turning elephants into “fundraising machines,” citing the controversial 2023 removal of Thandora from Bloemfontein Zoo.
Public Pushback
Johannesburg residents share Pretoria’s anger.
“It would be a sad day for Johannesburg if the three elephants are taken away,” said Walter Middleton.
“My grandchildren love them. There is no need to remove them.”
Others bristled at American involvement.
“How can Harvard lawyers, sitting in America, dictate what South African children should or shouldn’t see?” asked one visitor.
“This is our heritage, not theirs.”
The Bigger Battle
For locals, the fight is not about elephant welfare alone – it is about access and inequality. While elites and foreign partners celebrate “rescues,” ordinary South Africans feel cut off from the very animals that symbolise their natural heritage.
As protests and petitions gather steam, the removal of Charley may become a rallying cry for broader frustrations over elitism, inequality, and foreign interference in South Africa’s conservation policies.
Activists, CSOs and frontline communities across the continent came together under the umbrella body, KickTotalOutOfAfrica, and engaged in a coordinated protest dubbed Africa Week of Action from August 18-24, 2025, demanding French oil giant TotalEnergies stop its operations, pay reparations to affected communities, and make way for a just and community-centered energy transition.
The Africa Week of Action saw events in more than 10 countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, and Senegal. Protests, creative resistance, community townhalls, and people’s tribunals put fossil colonialism on trial and advanced a clear call: Total must pay up and get out.
Africa Week of Action protest in Zimbabwe
In South Africa, hundreds marched from Standard Bank’s HQ to TotalEnergies’ offices in Johannesburg. According to Zaki Mamdoo, Coordinator of the StopEACOP Campaign, “Banks like Standard Bank are not neutral. By financing projects like the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) in East Africa and the Mozambique LNG fields, they are complicit in the destruction, displacement, and violence inflicted on African communities. This unholy marriage between finance capital and fossil capital places a boot on Africa’s neck and must be challenged.”
In Togo, over 1,000 people came together to show TotalEnergies the “Red Card” at a football tournament aimed at raising community awareness around the company’s destructive business model. Esso Pedessi, community organiser with NGO Jeunes Verts, said this was a timely intervention.
“TotalEnergies sponsors AFCON and splashes its name across football to buy legitimacy and cover up its crimes. But no amount of greenwashing or sportswashing can hide the displacement, pollution, and violence it fuels across Africa. That is why we used football as a tool of resistance, to reclaim the game, raise political awareness, and show Total the red card. Football, like Africa, belongs to the people, not to polluters,” said Pedessi.
And in Zimbabwe, creatives and youth activists led a creative resistance teach-in hosted by Magamba Network. The event used art, poetry, music and performance as tools to inspire and advance the political imagination.
Trust Chikodzo, Climate Justice Network Coordinator at the Magamba Network, explained that “Creative actions help us move hearts in a political landscape so often devoid of rationality. By using art, we can tell our own African story against fossil fuels in a way that people can feel and be moved to act against neo-colonialism. Art allows us to cut through the lies of corporations like TotalEnergies and to speak truth in ways that mobilise, educate, and inspire.”
TotalEnergies celebrated 100 years of existence last year, yet frontline communities in Africa don’t share in that celebration because of the devastation the operations of Total have left in their wake. But communities are not taking this lying down. In South Africa, a court has nullified a permit issued to Total for gas exploration in Cape Town after concerned communities went to court.
The communities in Africa are not only taking to court but also organising on the streets and in workshops and using different tools, including art, until TotalEnergies can no longer continue with business as usual. In Benin for instance, the communities used street art, including music and street painting, to stand in solidarity with communities in Uganda and Tanzania opposing the controversial EACOP project.
And in Tanzania, CSOs led by the Organisation for Community Engagement (OCE), Green Conservers (GC) and GreenFaith Tanzania organised a football march in Chapulwa village, Nzega District, where youth affected by the EACOP project came together to play football as a symbolic gesture to “Kick Total Out of Africa” at the EACOP pipeline site.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, 30 cyclists staged a protest ride in Kinshasa. TotalEnergies is among several transnational corporations interested in the sale of DRC oil blocks. They too joined in calling for the French oil giant to stop their operations, pay up and get out.
The offline actions were amplified online with incredible solidarity from across the continent, culminating in an online tribunal on Friday that attracted 80-140 guests who joined the live session to witness and stand in solidarity with the communities demanding Total pay up and get out.
The online tribunal was followed by an actual tribunal on Saturday, August 23, in Uganda, where EACOP-Affected Communities joined together with oil-affected communities and held a tribunal in Kyakaboga, attracting more than 250 villagers for a community tribunal against TotalEnergies.
TotalEnergies is drilling for oil in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s oldest, largest, and most pristine national park. The drilling has created human animal conflict as wild animals, including Elephants, run from their homes into neighbouring villages, destroying farms.
TotalEnergies’ century of existence is nothing to celebrate in Africa. For communities, it has meant biodiversity loss, poisoned rivers, displacement, militarisation and deepened poverty.
Concluding the week-long mobilisation, interfaith leaders, youth, and community members led by the Laudato Si’ movement Africa gathered in Nairobi on Sunday for a prayer vigil at the Holy Family Basilica that was livestreamed across the region. The event featured testimonies from affected communities and symbolic acts calling on TotalEnergies and African governments to transition toward community-owned renewable energy projects.
The Property and Environment Writers Association of Nigeria (PEWAN) will hold its 2025 Annual Lecture & Awards on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
In a statement endorsed by the association’s Chairman, Mrs. Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie, the event is themed: “The place of Waste Management in Relation to Lagos State Government’s T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda,” and will take place at NECA House in the Central Business District (CBD), Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, starting at 10am.
Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin
The former Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Olutoyin Ayinde, will chair the lecture, with Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, the Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), serving as the keynote speaker.
Other distinguished speakers at the lecture include Dr Babatunde Ajayi, General Manager of the Lagos Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), and Dr Aladeleba Adesina Emmanuel of the Yaba College of Technology.
According to Iroegbu-Chikezie, the lecture will address critical issues related to environmental sustainability in Lagos, with a specific focus on Air Quality Management and Sustainability in modern housing and urban development.
Awards will also be presented to firms and individuals for their contributions to environmental sustainability.
Scientists from The James Hutton Institute in Dundee, Scotland, have introduced two new potato varieties to Kenya, which are now included in Kenya’s National Variety List.
The project was a collaboration with the University of St Andrews, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Potato Centre (CIP), and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), as well as the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and Seeds2B.
New potato varieties
The new varieties, Malaika, named after the daughter of a farmer who was integral to the early field trials, and Glen, reflecting the Scottish heritage of the varieties, have passed the obligatory National Potato Trials and have been approved by processors in Kenya.
They were bred originally in a joint project between Greenvale AP and Hutton Scientific Services, combining the preferred traits of local growers with resistance to potato cyst nematode (PCN), which is currently devastating the Kenyan crop. PCN is a microscopic parasitic pest that invades potato roots, stunting growth and diminishing yields.
Senior Scientist, Professor John Jones, the Hutton lead on the project, said, “The release of these two varieties is the culmination of many years work and is a collaboration between social scientists, crop scientists, plant breeders, the Kenyan Government, seed suppliers, and farmers. It has brought together researchers and stakeholders in the UK and Africa to help ensure that we provide solutions that align with the needs of growers in the region. I’m delighted that we have passed this critical milestone.”
“This has been a remarkable journey involving multiple partners working together to ensure the success of this initiative. Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN) is a major pest affecting a key crop in Kenya and the broader region,” remarked Senior Scientist at IITA, Danny Coyne. “The introduction of Malaika and Glen represents a significant breakthrough in controlling this pest, directly addressing the urgent needs of farmers. This advancement will help safeguard their livelihoods, improve crop yields, and contribute to food security.”
Potato is Kenya’s second most important food crop after maize and benefits some 2.5 million people across the potato value chain. Potato is Kenya’s key economic agricultural driver, with an approximate value of $500 million per annum.
The Hutton leads the world in scientific research and breeding programmes to develop new potato varieties with desirable agronomic characteristics and resilience to external stresses, such as temperature extremes and diseases. Malaika and Glen have the potential to be of value in the countries surrounding Kenya, where PCN is also present, and to provide reliable, resilient crops that offer a route to food security.
Research carried out as part of the project showed that Kenyan smallholder farmers need potato varieties that have low dormancy (the length of time before they start to develop sprouts), that can be replanted quickly after harvest, and that are fast cooking to reduce fuel use.
Currently, around 90% of growers source seed from their farm or neighbours, with only 6% buying from certified seed suppliers. The information collected during this project will be used to shape plans for distributing the new potatoes and to give growers the confidence to grow these new varieties.
Their introduction will now be scaled up by working with Kisima seeds for the commercial sector, while Syngenta Foundation Farmers’ Hubs will provide advice and multiply healthy seeds for smallholders.
On May 28, a devastating flash flood, the first recorded in 2025, ravaged Mokwa, Niger State. Unlike typical floods caused by dam releases or river overflows, this disaster was triggered by torrential rainfall that overwhelmed the area and broke through an old embankment long relied on for protection.
Around 7 a.m., sections of the town, including homes, were submerged before most residents could react. Within hours, goods were swept away, people displaced and over 200 lives tragically ended.
Flooding in Nigeria
The intense overnight rainfall became deadly due to failed infrastructure, poor urban planning, governance and the lack of a functioning Early Warning {and Action} System (EWS). The flood exposed what had been regrettably ignored for years: the increasing gap of our poor public services and environmental governance to catch up with the realities of climate change in Nigeria. The cost of this gap is about to multiply if we don’t change the status quo.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) have continued to issue flood alerts, the latest of which warned of high to very high risks in 198 Local Government Areas across 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory between August 7 and 21. The stakes are higher now, with more severe rainfall and rising rivers possible.
As someone who, with my team, visited Mokwa after the disaster, the question is no longer if floods will occur but what lessons from Mokwa can strengthen climate adaptation strategies for a country that is vulnerable to climate change.
Mokwa, a town on the banks of the River Niger, has always been at risk. Residents had long built on dry tributaries that once served as water pathways during rainy seasons. Some believed the water had been permanently diverted. Others, knowing the risks, stayed anyway. There were no building permits due to the endemic culture of either lack of rural and urban planning laws, compliance with the same where it exists or enforcement of such rules were violated. This is often the case in most parts of Nigeria. What existed, in the affected community in Mokwa, was a frail peace between flash flood and obstructive human settlement.
This points to a wider problem. Nigeria’s broader climate response is weak and ineffectual. Forecasts are issued and largely ignored. Responsibilities are split across ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) but most don’t act. Even with near accurate seasonal predictions from the NiMet and NIHSA, there is no real cohesive and robust response system. Forecasts fail to trigger timely action from relevant federal, states and local government actors, leaving communities vulnerable.
One lesson is clear: forecasts alone are insufficient without a comprehensive EWS. An effective system goes beyond predictions by pairing them with evacuation drills, simulations, real-time monitoring, shelter preparation and infrastructure checks. It requires predictive models that generate different scenarios and trained personnel whose eyes are on the data, ready to act at the first early sign of danger. You set up bar-coded or colour-coded levels of alertness so everyone, from agencies to residents, knows exactly what each stage demands.
Instead, what exists is a patchwork of forecasts, press statements and after-the-fact responses. A functional system would connect local governments with forecasting bodies, emergency responders, community leaders and infrastructure agencies. There would be clear thresholds, tied to water levels or rainfall, that automatically trigger alerts and mobilisation. The absence of such a system in Mokwa meant no alerts, no community mobilisation and no monitoring of a known weak point until it failed.
Urban planning failures also worsens flood disasters in Nigeria. Many of the worst-hit homes, during the Mokwa flood, stood directly on a water path. Communities build along floodplains, often without regulation. In smaller towns and villages, planning laws are ignored or never enforced. Across cities like Lagos and Abuja, construction happens on natural water paths with illicitly obtained government approval and/or swift deterrence. Rural areas face the same risk, as informal settlements rise unchecked in high-risk zones. In Mokwa, even if residents had no permits, the silence of local authorities amounts to complicity.
Attempts at regulation often meet resistance. People protest demolitions or relocations because of a deep trust deficit. Past government actions have fuelled this, clearing poor communities “for public good” only to sell the land to private developers. So, when officials issue warnings or propose evacuation, communities suspect foul play. This mistrust weakens climate adaptation efforts.
Even where government intentions are genuine, implementation fails without community buy-in. Climate resilience needs a whole-of-society approach. Governments must ensure that any relocation is transparent, fairly compensated and demonstrably for public safety.
Infrastructure maintenance is another major gap that must be addressed. Many of Nigeria’s dams and rivers are heavily silted, reducing their carrying risk while increasing the risk of uncontrolled releases and banks breaking. There has been no consistent auditing or desilting programme to restore/increase their capacities. Water retention areas have been encroached upon, narrowing the space for excess water to flow.
These weaknesses compound the effect of heavy rainfall, turning manageable floods into disasters. The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation must begin dam maintenance programmes immediately as is their mandate. Regular inspection and desilting must become standard practice, not emergency measures. Without this, dams and banks will continue to fail during heavy rainfall.
But infrastructure alone cannot secure communities if flood insurance is virtually nonexistent in Nigeria’s disaster response framework. After Mokwa, businesses, homes and millions of naira in cash and goods were lost without coverage. Despite the launch of the National Flood Insurance Policy (NFIP) in July, there is no public awareness on how it will operate and its accessibility.
Without operationalisation of the NFIP, recovery will remain slow and overly dependent on relief interventions that are often inadequate. This makes flood insurance not just an economic tool but a key component of resilience. The Federal Ministry of Environment must ensure the timeline is fast, implementation and monitoring mechanisms are robust.
At the same time, state emergency agencies are mostly missing from the frontline. Most Nigerians only know of the National Emergency Management Agency of Nigeria (NEMA) yet each state is meant to have its own emergency management agency. These should be the first responders; trained, equipped and visible in at-risk communities. In practice, many exist only on paper, leaving a gap that federal agencies cannot fill quickly enough.
In Mokwa, the local response was stretched thin, despite the support from state, national, international agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from across the country, the interventions were not adequate enough to help the victims pick up their lives.
Equally troubling is the lack of accountability for ecological funds in Nigeria. These funds are meant to finance resilience and recovery projects, but their use is rarely transparent. Without audits and conditions tying disbursements to measurable work, such as drainage clearing, embankment reinforcement or emergency shelter upgrades, the objectives of the funds will remain a mirage. The FG needs to create an open system of public reporting and real-time tracking of funds and allow independent oversight by civil society and legislative bodies.
Climate adaptation also cannot remain siloed within environmental ministries. The country has refused to treat climate adaptation as central to governance. The 2021 Climate Change Act and the National Adaptation Plan provide a legal framework, but most states have not domesticated them. Climate considerations, in Nigeria, scarcely influence decisions in housing, transport or agriculture.
In many places, climate change is treated as the concern of a small office rather than a core principle guiding all development. Even Lagos, the most climate-forward state, with a dedicated Lagos Resilience Office (LASRO) and a resilience strategy document, climate considerations is still not adequately integrated into all spheres of development. Most states in Nigeria don’t have a dedicated climate change office.
Nigeria must overhaul its climate response approach. Forecasts should guide strategic planning. State governments need to map vulnerable areas, run risk simulations and engage communities before disasters strike. Local and state authorities must take charge instead of waiting for Abuja. Mokwa exposed this neglect despite warnings and clear risks, the lack of a system to turn forecasts into action made disaster unavoidable.
The scale of this challenge carries a high cost but failing to act in time will cost even more. More rainfall is coming. Rivers are rising. Dams are filling. Flooding has caused devastation in parts of Lagos, Niger, Adamawa, Taraba, Yobe and Ebonyi. Without firm, well-coordinated action at national, state and local levels, the same avoidable losses seen in Mokwa will play out across dozens of states in the weeks and months ahead.
So, what Mokwa has taught us, if anyone listened, is that climate adaptation has never been merely about responding to disasters but also about preventing them. This should translate to building systems where forecasts lead to action, where real-time data informs response strategies, where trust building between government and affected communities leads to evacuation and better protection from climate extremes.
By Sulaimon Arigbagbu, Executive Secretary of HEDA Resource Centre, leading its Environment Justice and Sustainable Development unit. He works to influence Nigerian government policy, focusing on climate change and sustainable development
