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Every inch of land counts for survival of Small Island Developing States – UNCCD

Michael Simire
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Every inch of land counts for survival of Small Island Developing States – UNCCD

Every inch of land is vital for the survival of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS), which are facing growing impacts from harsher droughts and the loss of fertile soils according to an information brief launched during the 23rd session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC23) in Panama. 

Prepared by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the brief warns that the SIDS’ land area affected by at least six months of extreme drought per year has increased to 17 per cent in the 2014–2023 period, up from 2 per cent between 1961–1970. Meanwhile, urbanisation, unsustainable agriculture and extractive industries are fueling the degradation of precious land in some of the smallest, more isolated and poorest territories on the planet, which are also some of the most vulnerable to climate change. 

Andrea Meza
UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary, Andrea Meza

SIDS are home to nearly 74 million people, around 1 per cent of the world’s population, but face unique social, economic, and environmental challenges: the loss of even tiny areas of productive land compromises their food, water and energy security; increases the transmission of infectious diseases; and undermines rural livelihoods, with women and girls being the hardest hit. Given the SIDS’ limited arable land and narrow resource base, every bit of land matters for the resilience of communities, economies and ecosystems; especially, in the face of climate-related hazards. 

UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary, Andrea Meza, said: “Small Island Developing States remind us that taking care of our land is an existential matter. We must urgently transform our food systems and align our policies to harness land as the basis for sustainable development, as a matter of security, and as a climate and biodiversity solution. As the world sees more extreme weather and climate events, it is imperative we invest in healthy land to reduce the vulnerability of our communities in SIDS and beyond.” 

Growing challenges 

The brief summarises information from recent assessments and scientific sources, including the UNCCD data dashboard, to outline the challenges and opportunities of SIDS in relation to land and drought. Globally, SIDS encompass 39 states and 18 territories across the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea (AIS). 

  • Food security: Food security in SIDS is challenged by the amount of arable land, costly food imports, and the triple burden of malnutrition, i.e., undernourishment, micronutrient deficiency, and obesity. In most SIDS, agricultural production is constrained by low soil fertility, high input costs, and exposure to droughts, cyclones, and salinisation, which make them unable to meet domestic food demand. Land degradation compounds an already fragile scenario. 
  • Land degradation: Unsustainable land and water management are increasing drought vulnerability in SIDS. Many land degradation processes in SIDS have their roots in the legacies of colonialism – particularly, cash crop plantations and forest industries, which displaced indigenous land use practices and led to tenure insecurity.  
  • Drought and water scarcity: A growing concern, especially in poorer, smaller or more isolated SIDS like Haiti, Martinique, Comoros, Marshall Islands and Guam.​​Five SIDS are experiencing water scarcity (less than 1,000 m³ per person per year), and an additional three face absolute water scarcity (less than 500 m³ per person per year).  
  • Biodiversity: SIDS cover less than 0.5 per cent of the planet’s surface area, but are home to over 20 per cent of global biodiversity. Biodiversity loss reduces soil fertility, pollination, water cycling, and coastal protection. In turn, that undermines ecosystem productivity and resilience, as well as food security and livelihoods. 
  • Public policies and data: Local institutions tend to lack enough resources and experts to integrate nature-based solutions into land management efforts. Building and retaining technical expertise and accessing high-resolution land cover data is key to advance sustainable land management and resilience. Eight of the 20 countries that top the Human Flight and Brain Drain Index are SIDS: Jamaica, Haiti, Guyana, Grenada, Cabo Verde, Samoa, Micronesia and Fiji. 
  • Finance: Only $487 million of the total development finance provided to SIDS between 2016 and 2023 was related to desertification, land degradation, and drought. Even so, this funding was unevenly distributed among SIDS, with five countries (Papua New Guinea, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Solomon Islands, and Fiji) accounting for 65 per cent of the total.  

Land use governance 

Land use governance is a challenge for SIDS. In the Caribbean, for example, tenure insecurity rooted in colonial times discourages investments in sustainable land and water management. That contributes to a vicious cycle of environmental degradation and poverty. 

In the Pacific, many communities kept the rights to their ancestral territories, but are losing already limited arable land to unplanned urban growth. According to the brief, legal safeguards for traditional governance systems and involving communities in land-use planning and enforcement are key to halting the trend.  

“Spatial planning is a powerful tool: it helps protect healthy land, reduces conflict over limited resources, and strengthens resilience to drought and climate change,” said Fred Nicholas, Project Officer for the National Environment Service in the Cook Islands. “But its success depends on government agencies, traditional leaders, and communities working together to sustainably manage land, aquifers, and coastal areas through a true ridge-to-reef approach.” 

Cost-effective interventions 

SIDS depend heavily on healthy landscapes to support key economic sectors like agriculture, fisheries and tourism. Today, 26 out of the 39 SIDS that are country Parties to the UNCCD have engaged in the process of setting Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets, including the Dominican Republic, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe and Papua New Guinea. This includes various approaches to protecting land and water resources and to building resilience in SIDS, such as: 

  • Integrated land use-planning: facilitates balanced management of limited land resources, while addressing the competing needs for housing, agriculture, nature conservation, and tourism. 
  • Indigenous farming and agroforestry practices: they are cost-effective ways to improve the SIDS’ food security, climate adaptation, and sustainable development.  For example, SIDS in all regions have traditional practices that are more resilient to droughts, floods and storms than industrial monocultures. Dual land use systems like agroforestry, agrivoltaics, and urban farming can safeguard ecosystem services and connectivity while meeting the demand for food. 

Cooperative efforts 

SIDS have a unified voice in multilateral dialogues, such as climate change negotiations. The UNCCD SIDS Forum Workshop and side event demonstrate how SIDS are prioritising land degradation and drought as part of their development agenda. Leaders at these meetings called for investments in land restoration, water and waste management, and underscored the need for integrated land-use planning as a matter of resilience and climate adaptation.

“SIDS know first-hand the brutal impacts of climate-related disasters, like the devastation hurricane Melissa recently caused in Jamaica,” said Calvin James, former head of PILSM and now coordinator of the UNCCD SIDS Forum. 

“We must speed up land and drought action in our territories by exchanging good practices, sharing lessons learned, and raising awareness of our unique challenges and opportunities,” he explained. “We see the SIDS forum as a milestone towards COP17, where we hope that Parties formally recognise Small Island Developing States as a unified voice.” 

The forthcoming Global Land Outlook on SIDS, which is expected to be published ahead of UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia, will provide a more detailed analysis of the unique land challenges and opportunities for building resilience in SIDS. 

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage tax: Which way to go?

Michael Simire
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Sugar-Sweetened Beverage tax: Which way to go?

Debate has intensified over the future of the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) tax. It has raised a question as to whether Nigeria should prioritise public health over economic benefits or vice-versa.

Introduced in 2022, the N10-per-litre SSB tax was framed as a dual-purpose tool, to generate revenue while reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Three years later, stakeholders remain deeply divided over whether the levy should be increased, maintained or suspended.

Muhammad Ali Pate
Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare

The debate  deepened when the Federal Government recently hinted about temporarily suspending the tax.

In the Bwari Area Council of the FCT, diabetes patients are bearing the brunt of rising treatment costs and circulation of fake medicines.

Mrs. Esther Ibrahim, a petty trader living with Type 2 Diabetes, says a vial of insulin now costs between ₦18,000 and ₦21,000, up from ₦2,500.

“How can an ordinary trader like me cope?” she asks.

Another diabetes patient, Mr. John Aliyu, has been forced by economic hardship to reduce his dosage and rely on herbal alternatives.

Both patients appeal for drug subsidies, action on counterfeit medicines, and better public awareness.

Manufacturers are delighted with the idea of suspending SSB tax, citing rising production costs and fears of job losses.

However, public health experts are pushing back, arguing that Nigeria cannot not afford to weaken a tool designed to curb obesity and diabetes.

At a Senate public hearing, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, argued for raising the tax to at least 20 per cent of retail price, with 40 per cent of proceeds ring-fenced for NCD prevention.

“Failing to act will saddle Nigeria with an overwhelming disease burden in the next decade,” he warned.

The Ministry of Finance and the Federal Inland Revenue Service seek balancing economic realities with health goals, noting inflationary pressures facing the beverage industry.

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) warns that a higher tax will damage an already strained sector.

Mr. Adeyemi Folorunsho, a director representing MAN, notes that revenue in the non-alcoholic beverage sector dropped by 17–23 per cent in 2023 and 2024 due to inflation, forex shortages, and rising input costs.

Folorunsho also says sugar consumption fell by 16 per cent in 2023 and domestic sugar production dropped by 35 per cent, putting thousands of jobs across farming, transport, and retail  at risk.

“Nigeria has one of the lowest per-capita sugar consumption levels globally. A punitive tax is not the solution,” he argues.

The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association believes that further taxation can discourage investment.

However, health experts strongly believe that removing or weakening the tax will reverse gains made in curbing harmful dietary patterns.

Dr Abayomi Sarumi of the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa is convinced that the current N10 tax is too low to influence consumer behaviour because producers have largely absorbed the cost.

“SSB tax is not just another levy. It is meant to save lives,” Sarumi said.

He is of the opinion that raising the tax to N30 per litre can generate more than ₦700 billion annually while averting ₦3.5 trillion in future NCD-related treatment costs.

Clinical nutritionist, Mrs. Mercy Okoh, advises that the tax should be accompanied by nutrition education, school-based awareness, and affordable alternatives.

It is noteworthy that while adults drive the NCD burden, young people are the highest consumers of sugary drinks.

Some youths welcome the tax, while others worry about its affordability.

A 19-year-old student in Kubwa, Abuja, says he will not hesitate to reduce consumption if sugary drinks become more expensive.

“I take soft drinks almost every day. If they become more expensive, I will cut down.”

However, another student argues that taxing the drinks more won’t stop people from consuming them “but we need healthier and cheaper options”.

Countries that implemented strong SSB taxes, including Mexico, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, experienced declines in consumption and widespread product reformulation as well as generated new revenue for health programmes.

Analysts say Nigeria can achieve the same gains if revenues are transparently managed.

Consumer rights groups say Nigerians deserve clear accounting for SSB tax revenue.

Ms. Omei Bongos-Ikwue, a public health communications expert, suggests that revenues from the tax should be “logically and equitably” channelled into prevention, disease surveillance and access to essential care.

Dr Garba Alawode, a health economist and Co-convener of the UHC2023 Forum, says Nigeria faces tightening fiscal space, declining donor funding, and insufficient investment in health.

”Out-of-pocket spending accounts for more than 70 per cent of total health expenditure, and few Nigerians have health insurance.

“With GAVI preparing to withdraw support, Nigeria needs sustainable domestic funding.

“Earmarking SSB revenues offers a realistic pathway,” Alawode says. 

For a retired Chief Medical Officer, Dr Godswill Iboma, the tax is failing on both health and revenue fronts.

He argues that the tax punishes a single product category while ignoring other drivers of NCDs – high salt intake, refined carbs, sedentary lifestyles, genetics, etc. 

He recommends a tiered, sugar-content-based tax, stronger alignment of industrial and health policies, and transparent annual reporting on SSB tax utilisation.

The Senate has pledged to weigh all submissions carefully before presenting a harmonised draft bill as the debate draws emotions across health and manufacturing sectors, and finance and consumer groups.

Analysts are convinced that the decision will shape both public health and livelihoods, urging policymakers to carefully weigh submissions on both sides.

By Abujah Racheal, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Ogun urged to declare Ogijo community a contaminated site

Michael Simire
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Ogun urged to declare Ogijo community a contaminated site

The Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) has urged the Ogun State Government to declare the Ogijo community in Sagamu Local Government Area a “contaminated site”, following an investigation by the New York Times and a non-profit newsroom – The Examination, which revealed that indiscriminately sited lead-recycling factories have caused widespread lead poisoning in the community.

Aside from pollution of the soil and air in the environment, the investigation released on November 18, 2025, showed that factory workers operate under hazardous working conditions resulting in dangerously high blood lead levels. Every tested worker was found to be poisoned, with one recording a level as high as 38 micrograms per deciliter, considered severely elevated by World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

Ola Oresanya
Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya

In a statement issued in Lagos, RDI laid the blame for the contamination of the environment solely on the door steps of the Ogun State Government, insisting that that decades of poor urban planning, coupled with lack of monitoring and effective regulation of the operations of the lead recycling plants have culminated in a dangerous interaction between the surrounding communities and dangerous chemicals from the recycling firms.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, who appeared on Television Continental on Monday, December 1, 2025, said the state government needed to confirm the “alleged lead poison” and would test 500 people to arrive at its own conclusions.

RDI Executive Director, Philip Jakpor, said: “While the Ogun State Government is still describing the findings in Ogijo as an allegation, we must not lose sight that the abdication of responsibility by the state in regulating the activities of the recycling firms is the cause of the entire crisis in the first place. The flurry of face-saving activities that they have been embarking upon since the New York Times report was published, is like trying to shut the barn after the horse has escaped.”

Jakpor alerted that the scale of the lead poison may be far worse than reported even as he demanded that the state government must ensure that the environment and health audits it is carrying out must be extensive, thorough, transparent and made public.

“The Ogijo residents and affected workers in the identified firms deserve nothing but a comprehensive health and environment audit. We demand that the tests adhere to the global best standard as anything short of that will not be accepted.”

He said that the shutting down of the operations of seven lead-acid battery recycling firms in the community is a good move but urged the state government to refuse any pressure that would deter it from carrying out a detailed investigation of the situation in the community.

“Ogijo should be declared a contaminated site. We have said it time and again that the quest for profits at the expense of the people will always lead to systemic dangers, environmental degradation, a weakening of social structures and, in this case, pure disregard for human life and safety.

“Officials of agencies of government found culpable of dereliction of duty in relation to monitoring and regulating the activities of the identified firms should be appropriately sanctioned. In the same vein, firms found culpable of willful exposure of Nigerians to hazards in their production processes and management of waste must be shut and made to bear the full cost of the fallouts,” Jakpor insisted.

SNEPCo wins SERAS awards for Health/Wellbeing as Vision First initiative reaches thousands

Michael Simire
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SNEPCo wins SERAS awards for Health/Wellbeing as Vision First initiative reaches thousands

Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo) won an award for “Promotion of Good health/Wellbeing” at The SERAS Africa Sustainability Awards 2025 in Lagos at the weekend.

The recognition came as the latest outreach of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC)/SNEPCo Vision First initiative held in Asaba, Delta State from November 17 to 22, 2025, reaching a total of 6,538 individuals since the inception of the programme in 2022.

The SERAs Africa Sustainability Awards, which began in 2007, recognise achievements of individuals and organisations in corporate social responsibility. SNEPCo was honoured for investments in health, one of many high-impact projects the pioneer deep-water company has implemented since it commenced production at the Bonga field in 2005.   

SNEPCo
L-R: Social Investment Advisor, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), Lawretta Ehebha; SNEPCo’s Policy & Advocacy, Senior Advisor, Elohor Abu and SNEPCo’s Social Investment Advisor, Ayobami Ikuemonisan during the 19TH SERAS award ceremony in Lagos

Founder of the SERAS Awards, Ken Egbas, said at the award ceremony: “Tonight, we celebrate the organisations that are not only doing well but doing good,” commending the support which has made the event the gold standard for sustainability recognition in Africa.

“We are pleased at the recognition of our modest efforts to make life more meaningful for the people” commented SNEPCo Managing Director Ronald Adams. “The award is also a tribute for the support of NNPC Upstream Investment Services (NUIMS) and our co-venture partners – Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited, TotalEnergies Nigeria, and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited.”

The Vision First initiative is the flagship of SNEPCo’s broader Health-in-Motion programme, and the outreach in Asaba was the fifth, and first outside Lagos.

Of the 1,927 who registered, more than 1,300 received consultation for ailments such as hypertension, diabetes and malaria, while 174 were operated for cataract and pterygium with nearly 1,500 given eyeglasses and eye drops. The programme was delivered in collaboration with the Delta State Ministry of Health, Aniocha North Local Government Council and a Jos-based NGO, Kolmarg Eyesight Foundation.

SNEPCo Managing Director, represented by Senior Asset Manager, Bolanle Odunayo-Ojo, said: “Through free eye screenings, treatments, and surgeries, we are working to restore sight, renew hope, and reaffirm our commitment to the health and dignity of every individual.”

In a goodwill message delivered by Gloria Mok, State Coordinator, Emergency Ambulance Service (DELSEAS) & Focal Person, Eye Health Programme, Ministry of Health, the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Joseph Onojae, said: “We are grateful to NNPC/SNEPCo for sponsoring this programme and adding Delta State in their corporate social responsibility agenda.”

Prof Olukorede Adenuga, Executive Director, Kolmarg Eyesight Foundation, noted: “Investing in eyecare and carrying out blindness prevention programmes have been shown to have the highest returns compared with investments in other area of healthcare; therefore, the Vision First program is a laudable initiative.”

Among other milestones recorded by the programme since 2022, nearly 5,000 prescription glasses have been dispensed at no cost with 4,869 people receiving essential medications, and 667 people undergoing vision-restoring procedures including cataract removals to other corrective surgeries.

Prohibition of ivory trade: Charting a new path in elephant conservation

Michael Simire
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Prohibition of ivory trade: Charting a new path in elephant conservation

Now that a proposal to relax the prohibition on commercial trade in elephant ivory has been rejected – once again- at the latest conference of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, we have an extraordinary opportunity to chart a new and exciting path for elephant conservation across Africa.

Collectively we have over a century of experience, working to understand elephant ecology and conservation, in defining and regulating sustainable trade, and in developing plans and policies to protect wildlife. We believe African elephant range states should now harness a broader suite of policy tools to finally provide the protection and generate the financing this keystone species deserves.

The EPI Foundation
Clockwise from top left: Professor Lee White CBE; Sharon Ikeazor CON and John Scanlon AO. Photo credit: The EPI Foundation

On November 29, 2025, the overwhelming majority of countries at the CITES conference voted against the proposal by the southern African nation of Namibia for the ivory trade ban to be partially lifted so its government could sell its stockpile of ivory.

We were pleased to see that delegates from most African countries, and the majority of other countries across the world, did not want to put at risk the huge progress made since 1990 when CITES banned commercial trading in African elephant ivory; and similar resolutions have been rejected at the last three CITES gatherings. The evidence from previous partial exemptions to the 1990 ban is clear: a trickle of legal trade leads to a deluge of elephant blood as poachers target the animals for their white gold.

However, as former politicians and policy makers who have had to balance environmental, economic and electoral concerns, we understand Namibia’s predicament. Its great achievements in conservation and in protecting elephants across its territory, are hugely expensive, and resources are tight. But the true value of elephants is not in their ivory, and the short-term financial benefits of sales are not the answer.

As so often in public policy the key here is “monetising”: creating value out of an asset. For too long the sole focus for creating value out of elephants was through selling their tusks. A high price for ivory has always led to a surge of illegal killing, illegal trade, and laundering.

This trade resulted in the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of elephants, in Africa’s savannas in the 1970s-1980’s and subsequently in the forests, between 2007-2015. The second wave of killing resulted in the loss of upwards of 70% of forest elephants.

Elephant poaching is generally carried out by transnational criminal networks. It undermines governance and security, degrades ecosystems, and destroys sustainable, tourism-based economies. Furthermore, the forest elephant in particular is a critical part of the Congo basin rain forest ecosystem.

An elephant is a remarkable value-adding creature, working as an unpaid landscape architect. It leaves in its wake a trail of environmental benefits: its dung, the seeds it spreads, the soil it shifts, the biodiversity it catalyses, the tree species distribution it impacts, the winnowing out of less carbon absorbent plant life, the boosting of the above-ground biomass.

And this rich, valuable, transformative trail does not just run for thousands of looping kilometres during an animal’s life. It has an impact long after each individual animal has died.

Those of us who have spent time in the Congo basin can tell the difference between a forest with an active elephant population and one without. The level of life, of insect activity, the shape of the trees, even the light itself, is the difference between a full colour photograph and one in black and white. You might not see the forest elephant – they are famously good at ghosting away into thin air – but you see their rich impact.

Scientifically, there is research that suggests, for example, that a single forest elephant drives carbon capture increases worth $1.75 million. That is one helluva a landscape gardener!

This figure alone is extraordinary. Like all good science, this research begs more questions, demands more work, opens more avenues to explore. We need similar research on African savanna elephants that inhabit more open, grassland environments, not least in Namibia. But even if this figure is proven to be out by an order of magnitude, the value to the planet of an elephant alive is unequivocally and demonstrably many times more than its value dead as a source of ivory.

Furthermore, elephants are the biggest attraction of Africa’s wildlife tourism industry, estimated to generate over $30 billion annually and to employ over 3.5 million people.

History has taught us the high costs of reopening the commercial trade in ivory. Instead, let us forge a different path, working with Namibia and all elephant range states, and find creative ways to monetise the many benefits we derive from these magnificent animals.

By Professor Lee White CBE (Trustee of the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation, a pan-African alliance of 26 nations working to protect the elephant population and former Minister of Water, Forests, Sea and Environment of the Gabonese Republic), John Scanlon AO (CEO of the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation and former Secretary General of CITES) and Sharon Ikeazor CON (Chair of the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation and former Minister of State for Environment, Federal Republic of Nigeria)

NCF, Ford Foundation call for policy on plastic bag charges

Michael Simire
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NCF, Ford Foundation call for policy on plastic bag charges

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), in partnership with the Ford Foundation, has urged the Federal Government to introduce policies mandating supermarkets to channel proceeds from plastic bag charges to climate financing.

The NCF Director-General, Dr Joseph Onoja, made the call at the Youth-Focused Climate Event on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Ibeju-Lekki in Lagos.

Onoja was represented at the event by the NCF Programme Development Manager, Mr Joshua Danzi.

Plastic bags
Plastic bags

Onoja noted that climate change was already reshaping Nigeria’s environment, affecting farmlands, waterways, and coastal communities.

He observed that many supermarkets and restaurants have begun charging customers for plastic bags, but without a structured government mandate on how the collected funds should be used.

“These charges should not just serve as revenue for businesses.

“They must be directed into climate financing or environmental sustainability projects.

“Nigeria, as a signatory to the Paris Agreement, must ensure that every effort contributes to long-term climate solutions,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria needs structured policies especially on plastic usage to strengthen climate financing and secure environmental sustainability for future generations.

He underlined the importance of grassroots engagement to curb plastic pollution in the country.

Onoja noted that the collaboration with the Ford Foundation aims to make climate education more relatable, especially for young people in vulnerable communities.

He also highlighted the need for stronger national policy direction, particularly regarding plastic pollution.

The event was organised to inspire young environmental advocates through sports, art, and creative expression.

It was also part of activities to mark the Ford Foundation’s 65th anniversary.

The event gathered schoolchildren, teachers, community leaders, and environmental advocates for a day of interactive sessions.

This is aimed at deepening awareness about climate change and empowering young people to become frontline voices in climate justice.

A climate advocate, Mr. Shittu Usman, presented a detailed talk on the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity, rising fire outbreaks, and their links to global warming.

Student voices dominated the programme, reinforcing the urgency of the climate crisis.

Mr. Kasheen Abdulrasheed of Community Junior High School, Ibeju-Lekki, emphasised that young people must take proactive steps to protect the environment, starting with reducing plastic waste.

Miss Elizabeth Lawal of Magbon Alade Junior Grammar School, Ibeju-Lekki, urged policymakers to stop deforestation, protect forests and oceans, and enforce regulations on waste disposal.

Students from Refiners School, Lekki, presented “The Cry of the Waters,” a gripping narrative about marine pollution and community responsibility.

The competitive segments added energy to the day.

Students described the programme as transformative, with Miss Annu Akinwalere of Magbon Alade Junior Grammar School noting that the outreach had helped them understand climate issues more clearly and inspired them to act.

By Olaitan Idris

NNPC’s N17.5trn energy-security bill sparks outrage, calls for forensic audit

Michael Simire
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NNPC’s N17.5trn energy-security bill sparks outrage, calls for forensic audit

The Federation racked up a record N17.5 trillion debt to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) in the 2024 financial year for pipeline protection, under-recovery on petrol, and other energy-security operations undertaken by the national oil company.

The figure – contained in NNPC’s newly released 2024 consolidated financial statements – has triggered widespread public concern, with economists and industry analysts demanding a full forensic audit of the spending.

Bayo Ojulari
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Bayo Ojulari

Breakdown of the N17.5trn Cost

Findings show that N7.13 trillion of the expenditure was incurred as energy-security costs to keep petrol prices stable whenever the gap widened between the exchange rate and the ex-coastal cost of imported fuel.

Another N8.67 trillion was spent directly on under-recovery – the financial shortfall that arises when the regulated pump price of petrol is lower than the actual landing cost.

In addition, N8.84 trillion was recorded under Other Receivables from the Federation, representing advance payments made by NNPC and additional security spending on the protection of oil and gas installations.

The 2024 figure nearly doubled the N9.36tn recorded the previous year, signalling rising fiscal strain as the nation battles crude theft, vandalism, and volatile exchange rates.

Legal Basis and Contradictory Realities

Under Section 64(m) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, the Federation is responsible for reimbursing NNPC for energy-security costs incurred as the supplier of last resort.

But the latest disclosures complicate President Bola Tinubu’s May 2023 declaration that “fuel subsidy is gone.” With under-recovery costs now at multi-trillion-naira levels, the financial statements indicate that government support for petrol pricing has in effect continued.

The report also confirmed that the year opened with an under-recovery balance of N6.21 trillion, up sharply from N2.06 trillion in 2023, and that total energy-security debts owed to NNPC climbed to N8.67 trillion by December 31.

NNPC Posts Record Profit Despite Rising Debts

Despite the heavy financial burden on its books, NNPC announced a Profit After Tax (PAT) of N5.4 trillion for 2024, its strongest performance since becoming a limited liability company. The company’s PAT represents a 64% increase from the N3.297 trillion reported in 2023.

Proshare, a Nigerian financial intelligence platform, described the performance as “strong and commercially encouraging,” citing an 87.89% growth in total revenue, driven largely by higher crude oil production and improved operational efficiency.

Crude sales alone surged to N29.21 trillion, more than double the previous year’s figures, while natural gas and power revenues rose by 125.66%.

However, Proshare warned that the company’s rising finance costs and shrinking gross margins demand cautious oversight.

Stakeholders Demand Probe

The massive security-related expense has drawn sharp criticism from experts, who question the transparency and justification for such spending.

Jeremiah Olatide, CEO of Petroleumprice.ng, described the N17.5 trillion bill as “outrageous and indefensible,” accusing the national oil company of masking deep inefficiencies and internal collusion.

“N17.5 trillion spent on pipeline security and energy-security costs in a single year is outrageous and should be probed,” he said. “How do you justify such a humongous expense when production remains around 1.4–1.5 million barrels per day?”

He argued that despite years of security spending, crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and sabotage remain rampant.

A critique, Kelvin Emmanuel, public finance analyst and co-founder of Dairy Hills, alleged that the government has been compensating militant groups with crude supplies under the guise of pipeline surveillance agreements.

Writing on X, Emmanuel said: “Now that NNPC’s financial statement shows that N7.1 trillion was disbursed in 2024 from supposed subsidy savings for pipeline security contracts, I am sure the 78,000 to 110,000 barrels per day is now confirmed.”

He called for open contracting, third-party verification of all security-related payments, and a complete overhaul of the current pipeline protection framework.

Repayment Uncertain

The financial documents do not indicate whether the Federal Government has refunded any portion of the mounting amount owed to NNPC. With debts nearly doubling in a single year, analysts warn that delayed reimbursements could weaken NNPC’s liquidity and ultimately shift the financial burden to the Nigerian public.

Rising Pressure on Nigeria’s Oil Sector

As the country struggles with declining output, deteriorating infrastructure, and persistent under-recovery of fuel costs, stakeholders insist that transparency, accountability, and reform of the national security and subsidy systems are now unavoidable.

With the national oil company carrying the cost of government-mandated fuel pricing and security operations, experts say Nigeria’s energy future hinges on bold policy decisions – and a willingness to confront long-standing distortions in the petroleum sector.

NUPRC opens licensing round portal, backs inclusive development for PWDs

Michael Simire
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NUPRC opens licensing round portal, backs inclusive development for PWDs

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has announced the official commencement of the Nigeria 2025 Licensing Round, marking another major step in the Federal Government’s drive to enhance the sector.

Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, the Commission Chief Executive, NUPRC, on Monday, December 1, 2025, unveiled the dedicated bid portal: br2025.nuprc.gov.ng during a press briefing at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Unveiling the portal, Komolafe said the development was in the bid to expand investment, strengthen transparency, and deepen exploration in the upstream sector.

Gbenga Komolafe
Gbenga Komolafe, the Chief Executive of NUPRC

The CCE recalled that recent licensing initiatives, particularly the 2022 Mini-Bid Round and the historic 2024 Licensing Round, were conducted with unprecedented transparency, global competitiveness, and strong investor engagement.

He said the 2024 Licensing Round was completed without a single litigation and earned commendations from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and other stakeholders.

Komolafe said that, with Presidential approval from President Bola Tinubu, the NUPRC had now placed 50 Oil and Gas blocks on offer across onshore, swamp/shallow water, frontier basins, and deepwater terrain.

“A breakdown of the blocks includes 15 onshore blocks, 19 shallow water blocks, 15 frontier assets and One deepwater block,” he said.

He outlined the key objectives of the 2025 Licensing Round, to include boosting Nigeria’s reserves, increasing production capacity, expanding gas utilisation and creating thousands of jobs across the value chain.

Komolafe listed others as enhancing indigenous participation, and reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to transparency in line with EITI principles.

He said as a business enabler, and with the president’s approval, NUPRC had also reduced signature bonuses to attract greater investment and participation.

He said to further de-risk exploration, the NUPRC had undertaken extensive multi-client surveys, reprocessing thousands of kilometres of 2D and 3D seismic data to deliver the highest-quality subsurface imagery available in Africa.

“This, the commission noted, sharply reduces uncertainty, lowers entry costs, accelerates time to first oil or gas, and enhances investor confidence.

“The 2025 Licensing Round is projected to attract about 10 billion dollars in investments, add up to two billion barrels to national oil reserves over the next decade, and deliver an estimated 400,000 barrels per day from fully developed assets.

“At the Commission, we acknowledge that transparency is key to investor confidence. To ensure that the bidding process is credible and seamless, the Commission has rolled out guidelines which are now available on its website,” he said.

The CCE said it had adopted a two-stage bidding process for the award of the Blocks, comprising a qualification stage and a bid stage.

Reinforcing its commitment to transparency, Komolafe said the NUPRC had also introduced a two-stage, fully digital bidding process, comprising a qualification stage and a bid submission stage.

According to him, winners will emerge at the commercial bid round and the Commission emphasised that the age or date of incorporation of bidding companies is not a limiting factor.

He added that the assessment would focus strictly on technical capacity, professionalism, and financial capability.

Komolafe said, “The qualification stage involves the submission and evaluation of applications by interested parties or consortia in accordance with the Regulation and the Guidelines.

“Only applicants who are adjudged qualified and subsequently shortlisted by the Commission shall proceed to the Bid Stage and will be required to execute a Confidentiality Agreement prior to participation.

“At the bid stage, shortlisted applicants or bidders shall submit their Technical and Commercial Bids in accordance with the Regulation, the Guidelines, and any other bidding documents issued by the commission.

“Given our commitment to transparency and alignment with best practices, the bid process will be automated and digital.”

Meanwhile, the NUPRC has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting inclusive development in the Niger Delta region, with particular focus on Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

The Chief Executive Officer, NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, made the remark during a one-day workshop organised by the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) for PWDs, held in Port Harcourt, on Monday.

Komolafe, represented by Dr Ogechi Opete, the Deputy Director at NUPRC Port Harcourt Regional Office, acknowledged that the workshop, with the theme “Ending Barriers Against Niger-DeItans with Disabilities (EBANA), was apt.

He emphasised that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 provided a legal framework for promoting social equity and inclusion in host communities.

Komolafe noted that the Host Community Development Regulations of 2022 mandates participatory, needs assessment, stakeholder engagement, and transparent governance structures.

The NUPRC chief executive officer stressed that PWD-inclusive planning was not optional, but a requirement for development projects, saying that representation of PWDs in governance structures was vital to ensuring their unique needs were met.

He said that the commission would ensure full compliance with the PIA and Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) regulations, strengthen accountability, and support initiatives that promote equity and social harmony in host communities.

Earlier, the Acting Director of the CCD, Mr. Godwin Unumeri, stated that the workshop was aimed at finalising a regional demand charter for the inclusion of PWDs in the petroleum industry act benefit structures.

Unumeri stated that the organisation had developed a regional demand charter for the nine Niger Delta states, highlighting the needs of PWDs, including accessible infrastructure, education, and employment opportunities.

The acting director said that the stakeholders, including PWDs, policymakers, and advocates gathered to deliberate on measures to ensure that the PWDs demand charter would be included in the PIA’s host community development trusts, needs assessments, and budgets.

“The stakeholders will review and finalise the charter, which will be presented to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to form a supplementary act for disability inclusion,” he said.

Unumeri appealed to NUPRC to develop a supplementary act that would ensure host community development trusts prioritises disability inclusion in their needs assessments, development plans, and budgets.

Also, Mr. Amadi Onyekwere, the Director of Petroleum Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resource, Abia, said that the initiative was a right step to ensuring that right and needs of the PWDs were recognised and properly addressed in the oil and gas sector.

Onyekwere said that the PIA was a landmark legislation governing Nigeria’s oil and gas industry,  but that the PWDs were not properly considered.

He said that the situation could be changed by co-creating the charters demands of the PWDs.

He called on the HCDT to integrate disability related concerns, providing support for infrastructure development, economic empowerment and social services.

The director also called on Nigerian government and industry regulators to consider amendment of the relevant sectors of the PIA act to include appropriate qualified PWDs into relevant communities of the HCDT.

He also called on government to recognise state ministry vested with oil and gas portfolio in host communities mattered.

Onyekwere stated that the governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, through the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, strongly advocated inclusivity in the membership of the trust.

He reaffirmed that Abia State Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources would always work with the government for effective implementation of the PIA for the good of the people.

The workshop drew stakeholders from across the nine states of the Niger Delta region 

By Emmanuella Anokam and Precious Akutamadu

UN meeting in Panama addresses global loss of fertile lands, extreme droughts

Michael Simire
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UN meeting in Panama addresses global loss of fertile lands, extreme droughts

Addressing global loss of fertile lands and escalating droughts will be the focus of the 23rd session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC23), as 197 Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) convene in Panama this week.

The meeting comes at a crucial moment. If current trends continue, land almost the size of South America (16 million square kilometres) will show continued degradation by 2050, just as the global demand for food, water and energy continues to soar. Meanwhile, two-thirds of the planet have become permanently drier in the last three decades, and the past two years have seen the most widespread and damaging droughts in recorded history. In Panama, drought disrupted traffic through the Canal, significantly impacting global trade.

Yasmine Fouad
UNCCD Executive Secretary, Yasmine Fouad

UNCCD Executive Secretary, Yasmine Fouad, said: “The resilience of our communities, economies and ecosystems depends on healthy land. Yet, we continue to degrade an area the size of Egypt every year, eroding the land’s ability to produce food, store water, support biodiversity and shield people from droughts, floods and sand and dust storms. Investing in sustainable land management, land restoration and nature-based solutions is not only an environmental necessity; it is a development imperative and a strategic investment in stability, prosperity and peace.”

“CRIC23 is a key moment to assess our collective progress, strengthen the bridge between Riyadh and Ulaanbaatar, and recognize land and drought resilience as the red thread connecting the Rio Conventions. Together, we can accelerate the shift toward a more resilient, food-secure and nature-positive future.”

From Riyadh to Ulaanbaatar

CRIC23 will review progress in implementing decisions taken at the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to UNCCD in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in December 2024 and discuss the Convention’s post-2030 roadmap. 

Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UNCCD COP16 Presidency, said: “In Riyadh, world leaders established new priorities for land and drought action. One year on, this meeting is a crucial opportunity to accelerate the translation of COP16 decisions into concrete policies and practices and to advance the Convention’s agenda. Sustainable land management and drought resilience cannot wait: we depend on them to ensure food, water and energy security, as the world will need to produce 50 per cent more food by 2050.”

The meeting will hold thematic sessions on land tenure as the basis for investments in healthy land; discuss the growing threat of sand and dust storms; and host the second Gender Caucus to give a voice to women, who are disproportionately affected by land degradation and drought, while supporting the livelihoods of entire communities around the world.

Parties will also engage with other key stakeholders including youth, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and see the launch of new reports on Small Island Developing States and rangelands.

In addition, the first of three informal and voluntary dialogues on drought resilience will be convened alongside CRIC23, building on the outcomes of COP16 and preparing for the resumption of negotiations at COP17. Led by the COP16 Presidency, the Tafa’ul Process is inspired by the Arabic word تَفَاؤُل (Tafa’ul), meaning constructive optimism and hopeful determination. CRIC23 recommendations will inform decision-making by the Convention’s 196 country Parties and the European Union ahead of the next UNCCD COP17, which will take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in August 2026.

Mr. Batmunkh Dondovdorj, Special Advisor to the Minister and Chairman of upcoming COP17 Presidency National Office, stressed that the road from Riyadh to Ulaanbaatar must be a road of hope for communities and ecosystems that have long been undervalued. COP17 will coincide with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, offering a unique political moment to highlight rangelands, which are disappearing faster than rainforests.

“The meeting in Panama is crucial to set the basis for a successful COP17, which will bring to the fore the links between human wellbeing and healthy, productive and resilient landscapes,” said Dondovdorj. “That is particularly true for rangelands, which cover around half of the planet’s land area and are home to two billion people, but are often treated as empty, expendable spaces. For Mongolia – a country whose history, culture and economy are deeply rooted in pastoralism – this is not an abstract issue. It is about dignity, identity and opportunity for people who have been overlooked for far too long.”

Panama’s Nature Pledge

Today, Panama highlighted the centrality of land in its Nature Pledge, a roadmap that unifies national efforts to tackle land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change to leverage the synergies between the three Rio Conventions and advance all of their interconnected goals, faster.

As part of its Nature Pledge, Panama plans to restore 100,000 hectares of degraded land by 2035. 

Juan Carlos Navarro, Minister of Environment of Panama, declared: “Nature is the backbone of the global economy. The Panama Nature Pledge shows our commitment to restoring critical watersheds, protecting forests, and incentivising sustainable agricultural practices as a means to build the resilience of our economy and our communities. The Panama Natural Fund, in turn, guarantees long-term conservation actions across the territory. There is no time to lose: We must urgently take care of nature, so nature can continue taking care of us.” 

A signatory to UNCCD since 1996, Panama has committed to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality by 2030, identified 31 critical hotspots, and is advancing reforestation and Dry Corridor adaptation programmes – underlining its role as CRIC23 host. This year, Panama became the first country to host meetings of all three Rio Conventions in the same year.     

Drafting of IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report begins in Paris

Michael Simire
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Drafting of IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report begins in Paris

More than 600 experts appointed to the three Working Groups of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are gathering in Paris this week to commence work on the first draft of IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report (AR7). This is the first time in IPCC’s history that the three Working Groups are holding a joint Lead Author Meeting.

At the invitation of the French government, through the Ministry of Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, and International Negotiations on Climate and Nature, the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the IPCC’s Lead Author Meeting, held jointly by the three Working Groups, is taking place from 1 to 5 December.

Jim Skea
Jim Skea, IPCC Chair

The authors, from more than 100 countries, will focus their work on the initial drafts of the three Working Group contributions to AR7 and cross-cutting topics. Bringing together authors from all three Working Groups in a single venue aims to enable the IPCC to take an ambitious qualitative leap in assessing key interdisciplinary questions related to climate change.

“It is apt that France is hosting our first Lead Author Meeting for the Seventh Assessment Report on the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement. The meeting marks the beginning of our assessment of the latest science related to climate change. From here on, our focus will be on delivering scientifically robust and actionable findings relevant for the world’s policymakers,” said IPCC Chair Jim Skea.

The IPCC provides the world’s policymakers with comprehensive summaries that synthesise and contextualise what is known about the drivers of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and how adaptation and mitigation can reduce those risks. Through its assessments, the IPCC identifies the strength of scientific agreement in different areas and indicates where further research is needed.

“In this year marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, France is proud to host the very first joint meeting of all IPCC authors. This is an opportunity to send a strong message of support for science, which must remain the foundation of our decisions to reduce our emissions everywhere across the world,” said Monique Barbut, Minister of Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Negotiations on Climate and Nature.

France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, said: “Ten years after the Paris Agreement, France is proud to champion climate and scientific diplomacy informed by the work of the IPCC. In an era marked by growing information warfare, France stands as a steadfast bulwark against attacks on science. We will continue to act with strength and determination to ensure that science and climate action remain inseparable.”

IPCC assessments aim for the highest standards of scientific excellence, balance, and clarity.  Appointed experts volunteer their time and expertise as IPCC authors to assess the tens of thousands of scientific papers published each year. 

“The sheer volume and high level of interest that we received from the scientific community to participate in the IPCC is a positive indication of a global commitment to advance climate action policies that are rooted in science,” said Robert Vautard, Co-Chair of Working Group I and senior climate scientist at the National Centre for Scientific Research at Institute Pierre-Simon Laplace, Paris.

IPCC reports are subject to multiple stages of review to ensure a comprehensive, objective and transparent assessment of the current state of knowledge of the science related to climate change. An open and transparent review by experts and governments around the world is an essential part of the IPCC process, to ensure an objective and complete assessment and to reflect a diverse range of views and expertise. 

The IPCC’s first joint Lead Author Meeting will be opened by Monique Barbut, Minister of Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Negotiations on Climate and Nature.

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