Nigeria’s persistent power crisis continues to undermine its development potential and frustrate the daily lives of millions. Despite its vast renewable energy potential sunlight, biomass, small hydropower, the country still struggles to provide stable, affordable electricity. Today, over 90 million Nigerians lack access to grid power, while those connected experience frequent blackouts.
Renewable energy
The existing electricity grid is dilapidated, prone to collapse, and unable to handle increased power loads. This energy poverty limits productivity, stifles small businesses, and undermines access to healthcare, education, and clean water.
The Nigerian government has set ambitious goals for universal electricity access, including aiming for a 90% access rate by 2030. Renewable energy offers a clear path to achieving this. Solar mini-grids, standalone systems, and clean cooking technologies can bridge Nigeria’s energy access gap, especially in rural and underserved areas. Yet, a major obstacle continues to hold back progress: financing.
Recent estimates indicate that Nigeria faces a staggering ₦11.4 trillion financing gap to meet its renewable energy goals. Traditional financing models – especially those based on foreign currency loans – are proving not just inadequate but unsustainable. Dollar-based debt exposes developers to currency devaluation, spikes in repayment costs, and reduced profitability. With the naira depreciating steadily and investor confidence waning, foreign capital has become both expensive and scarce. Nigeria’s high-risk profile discourages long-term lending from international markets, and climate funds are either delayed or dispersed at insufficient scale.
Clearly, the country cannot rely on international finance to deliver energy access for all. Nigeria must now look inward and innovate. The future of renewable energy lies in building a robust, dynamic local currency financing ecosystem – one that is inclusive, transparent, and tailored to the realities of both developers and energy users.
According to the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) survey, institutions such as the Bank of Industry (BOI), Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), and the Central Bank have created some concessional loan windows, but these remain small and often inaccessible to small and medium-scale renewable energy providers. Many early-stage developers and mini-grid operators are unable to access loans with affordable interest rates or flexible repayment terms. The problem is further compounded by limited risk-sharing tools and a financial sector that still does not fully understand clean energy business models.
There is an urgent need to deploy creative financial instruments to close this gap. Green bonds, already gaining momentum globally and in Nigeria, can attract domestic institutional investors such as pension funds and insurance companies into clean energy infrastructure. Blended finance structures, which combine public, donor, and private capital, can reduce risks and lower the cost of capital. Nigeria could also explore a local currency climate fund, designed specifically to finance renewable energy projects in naira. Meanwhile, carbon taxes or levies on high-emission industries could generate consistent domestic revenue for clean energy transition, if implemented equitably.
But it’s not just about new mechanisms. Nigeria must better utilize funds already within its grasp. Every year, the government recovers billions of naira in looted funds and forfeited assets. At the same time, legislators allocate vast sums to constituency projects, many of which pushed are poorly executed, duplicated, or irrelevant to community needs. If transparently managed, these funds could electrify schools, power health clinics, energize markets, and stimulate rural economies through renewable energy. The issue is not a lack of money, but a lack of political will, transparency, and strategic coordination.
To unlock scale, Nigeria must adopt a dual financing approach that supports both producers and consumers. On the supply side, we need concessional long-tenure naira loans, refinancing facilities, credit guarantees, and partial risk-sharing arrangements to help developers scale. On the demand side, financing tools must be tailored to households, farmers, and small businesses. Microfinance institutions and cooperatives should be mobilized to offer flexible loans for solar home systems. Pay-as-you-go solar and Energy-as-a-Service models, which allow people to pay in installments or based on usage, can make renewable energy accessible to the bottom of the pyramid.
Furthermore, bundling clean energy investments into community infrastructure programs, such as those funded by ecological funds, TETFUND, or state-level development plans, can help mainstream renewable energy into Nigeria’s broader development architecture. But this will require reforming how public funds are allocated and reported, so that energy interventions are tied to measurable public benefits and not political tokens.
If Nigeria is serious about achieving universal energy access, it must shift away from donor-dependency and expensive dollar loans. The country has the financial potential; it only needs the institutional will and policy coherence to direct these funds toward what truly matters. Clean energy is not just an environmental imperative – it’s a lifeline for economic inclusion, national development, and social stability.
The time to act is now. A just and inclusive renewable energy transition for Nigeria must be financed from within.
By Clement Chisom John, Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $40 million equity investment in Project Zafiri, a transformative equity platform and flagship initiative under Mission 300. This investment will accelerate the expansion of renewable energy access across Africa.
Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, AfDB
Zafiri – jointly developed by AfDB, World Bank Group and other partners – aims to address the critical shortage of patient, longer-term equity capital needed to de-risk and scale Decentralised Renewable Energy solutions (DRE) for underserved communities across the continent.
Decentralised Renewable Energy is the fastest, most cost-effective, and sustainable way to expand electricity access in rural Africa. Unlike centralised grids, DRE solutions – such as mini-grids and stand-alone solar home systems – can be deployed quickly and affordably, even in remote or fragile areas.
Under Mission 300, which aims to connect an additional 300 million people to electricity by 2030, DRE will play a central role in ensuring no community is left behind. These decentralised systems are modular, scalable, and well-suited to the continent’s dispersed populations and geographic challenges. More than half of all new electricity connections by 2030 are expected to come from DRE.
Zafiri is structured as a Permanent Capital Vehicle with a targeted capitalisation of $1 billion, raised through a phased approach. Phase 1 targets $300 million in total commitments, equally split between junior and senior equity, with junior equity serving as a key catalyst to crowd-in private sector in this higher-risk, undercapitalised market.
The African Development Bank’s $40 million contribution consists of $30 million in senior equity from its balance sheet and $10 million in junior equity from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), a multi-donor special fund managed by the Bank.
“Zafiri is a catalytic platform that will be an integral component of the Bank’s strategy to accelerate universal access to modern energy in Africa. With just five years remaining to reach Mission 300’s goal of additional 300 million connections by 2030, this initiative provides a timely and innovative solution to scale private capital for impact,” noted Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth at the African Development Bank.
Wale Shonibare, Director for Energy Financial Solutions, Policy, and Regulations, described Zafiri as the largest patient capital commitment to the African DRE sector to date. He said it exemplifies how structured blended financing can unlock commercial capital while delivering inclusive, climate-resilient energy access across the continent.
Project Zafiri will address the lack of longer-term equity that is constraining the growth of the DRE sector in Africa, Daniel Schroth, Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, said, adding that by anchoring the junior equity tranche, SEFA is helping to crowd in private investment at scale.
Zafiri aligns with the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033) to promote private investment in energy infrastructure, the High 5s, particularly Light Up and Power Africa, Industrialise Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa, and the New Deal on Energy for Africa. It also contributes to both mitigation and adaptation goals under the Bank’s Climate Change and Green Growth Policy and Strategy and supports the objectives of SEFA and the Private Sector Development Strategy (PSDS) to mobilise equity for clean energy and energy efficiency investments.
Zafiri also aligns with the Bank’s Equity Investment Framework and represents a pioneering approach to blended finance in Africa’s energy transition and a critical step toward achieving universal energy access.
He had withheld assent to the Climate Change Bill in 2019. As one given to meticulous observation, he noted some grey areas that required clarity for operators of the law. It is painful to speak of Nigeria’s former President, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR in the past tense.
Late President Muhammadu Buhari
But, when news of the passing of the late President reached me, my mind immediately flashed to his climate change legacy. As if driven by an unseen force, I found my gaze fixed on the framed photograph hanging on the wall of my office: It was the picture of that historic scene on 22 September 2016, at the United Nations Headquarters, New York during the 71st United Nations General Assembly, where I stood beside him alongside, Abubakar Malami SAN, CON, Attorney General and Minister of Justice; former Minister of Environment, Amina J Mohammed GCON, currently, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations; former Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Jideofor Onyeama; Abdulrahman Dambazzau, Minister of Interior, Babagana Monguno CFR, National Security Adviser; His Excellency, Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Solid Minerals; His Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State; His Excellency, Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, Governor of Zamfara State; Senator Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi CON, currently, the Minister of State for Agriculture; among so many others, as he signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
As a legislator at the time, I was both inspired and burdened. Inspired, because here was a President aligning Nigeria with the world’s most pressing cause; burdened, because I knew how much work lay ahead to translate these pledges into law and policy. Yet, true to his word, Buhari ensured that Nigeria ratified the Paris Agreement by 2017.
President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR (m) in company of (L-R) Rep. Sam Onuigbo, Abubakar Malami SAN, Amina Mohammed, Geoffrey Onyeàmà, UN Legal Counsel, UN Adviser on Treaties, Gen Babagana Mongonu, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Audu Ógbè, Gov Abubakar Yari, Gov Akinwunmi Ambode, Gen Bello Danbazau, Suleiman Adamu, Sen Aliyu Sabi, Sen Suleiman Hunkuyi, Gen Dan Alli, and Sen Ịta Enang at the Signing of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change at the UN Headquarters, New York on Sept 22, 2016.
He pushed for a National Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification framework, a technical feat that richer nations still struggle with. Behind the scene, Buhari’s administration crafted sector- specific plans, targeting oil and gas, agriculture, and power, with a becoming pragmatism that balanced economic growth and ecological responkjsibility. Few appreciated then, how revolutionary it was: A fossil-fuel dependent nation voluntarily committing to a low carbon future.
I recall how his hands, weathered by decades of service, moved with deliberate precision as he appended his simple, but elegant signature on that far-reaching agreement. At that point, the tip of his pen touching that document carried a huge significant weight that most people would never understand. To me, we have lost, not just a president, but the architect of Nigeria’s environmental conscience.
That was the essence of the man: he planted trees, whose shade, he knew he may never sit under. The transformation that followed was nothing short of remarkable.
As I continue to reflect on the passing of the late President, I find myself drawn to memories of our work together on what was to become one of his most enduring legacies, the Climate Change Act of 2021. The journey through this landmark legislation began long before its eventual presidential assent. It spanned multiple National Assembly plenaries, and overcoming numerous obstacles that would have deterred a less determined nation. At the onset, when the Climate Change Bill was first introduced, during the 6th Assembly, the concept of climate legislation was still novel in Nigeria’s political discourse. It was often misunderstood or dismissed as being secondary to more pressing economic concerns.
By the time I was appointed Chairman, House Committee on Climate Change – in the 8th Assembly – by the then Speaker, His Excellency Rt. Honourable Yakubu Dogara, I was aghast. However, the defining moment that fired my resolve to pursue and achieve a Climate Change Act, was COP21 in Paris, France, during which the Paris Agreement on Climate Change was adopted.
The head of that delegation was the Late President Buhari. Other prominent participants were the then Senate President, His Excellency, Senator Bukola Saraki, CON, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, Senator Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi CON, Amina J Mohammed and others.
At an event sponsored by Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE) at the French Parliament, as part of the COP21, Parliamentarians were enjoined to return to their home country’s Parliament and sponsor legislations on climate change so as to provide the legal framework to guide their nations in achieving the lofty goals contained in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
As it turned out, that charge by speakers at that GLOBE event was like a tonic. I resolved to work hard to realise the national and international objectives or goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
The collective insights gleaned from those climate change events, including my personal observation of the drying up of five out of the six springs in my native Obuohia Obi-Ibere, Ikwuano, spurred me to sponsor the Climate Change Bill.
Rep. Sam Onuigbo
Records at the National Assembly show that, the bill experienced sluggish progression. It was rejected successively in the 6th and 7th Assemblies. And, even in the 8th Assembly, when I sponsored it again and it passed, assent was declined by the late President.
Then, in the 9th Assembly, I reworked and reintroduced the Climate Change Bill, and followed it up with a lot of coordination, expanded collaboration with different critical stakeholders in the executive, the private sector, and within the parliament. These critical stakeholders were drawn from some Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), the Academia, and Civil Society Organisations.
The Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila CFR, exercised admirable leadership through his evident support and encouragement. He was ably assisted by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Idris Wase, the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, and other members of the 9th National Assembly in delivering this important legislation.
The Minister of State for Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor, provided immeasurable support and guidance.
In view of past multiple setbacks that befell the Bill, there were moments when I wondered whether that critical legal framework for Nigeria’s sustainable future would ever see the light of day.
But, when President Buhari showed decisive leadership by signing the bill into law on November 17, 2021, everything changed. That day remains etched in my memory, not just as a professional milestone, but as a testament to what could be achieved when visionary leadership aligns with legislative perseverance and individual doggedness. The President’s action was more than ceremonial; it was transformative.
By affixing his signature, he did not merely enact a piece of legislation, he positioned Nigeria as a serious participant in the global climate change conversation. Consequently, he ensured that Nigeria would no longer be a passive observer, but an active contributor to the continuing search for solutions.
Not many will know the depth of President Buhari’s engagement with the substance of the bill. In the background, he displayed a keen understanding of its implications, asking probing questions about how it would address the real challenges faced by Nigerians. From farmers grappling with desertification and drought, resulting in herders’ migration from the North towards coastal communities, and rising sea levels and ravaging gully erosion in the South-East. His concern was practical and rooted in the lived experiences of ordinary citizens. He wanted assurances that this would not become another bureaucratic exercise, but a tangible instrument of evident and measurable progress.
The immediate impact of the Climate Change Act was profound: For the first time, Nigeria had a comprehensive legal framework to guide its environmental policies, complete with mechanisms for accountability and measurable targets. Section 1 of the Act “Provides a framework for achieving low greenhouse gas emission (GHG) inclusive green growth and sustainable economic development by mainstreaming climate actions in line with national development priorities.” Section 3(1) “established the National Council on Climate Change …, which shall be vested with powers to make policies and decisions on all matters concerning climate change in Nigeria,” and provided the institutional backbone needed to coordinate action across federal and sub-national governments.
Late President Buhari appointed Dr. Salisu Dahiru as the pioneer Director General of the Secretariat of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) on July 25, 2022, and inaugurated the council on September 22, 2022. No longer would the approach to climate issues be fragmented, reactionary, or in silos. Nigeria now has a clear, strategic pathway toward sustainable development.
On the world stage, the difference was palpable. As Nigeria’s delegation carried a new sense of purpose and credibility. We were no longer attending merely to voice concerns, but to share our progress and contribute to global solutions. At COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, our role had evolved even further. Nigeria was significantly instrumental in the creation of the Loss and Damage Fund- a groundbreaking financial mechanism designed to support vulnerable nations facing the worst impacts of climate change. This achievement was probably the direct result of President Buhari’s foresight in equipping Nigeria with the legal and policy tools to engage meaningfully on the world stage.
At home, the Act enabled concrete actions that are already making a world of difference. The North East Development Commission (NEDC), where I now serve as a Member of the Governing Board, has integrated the Act’s provisions into its operations and activities.
For instance, ecological restoration, which is part of its major mandate, ensures that climate resilience remains central to our efforts in rebuilding communities affected by conflict, flooding and environmental degradation. Across the country, states are developing their own climate action plans and governance template aligned with the national framework, thereby creating a cohesive strategy that transcends political and geographical divides.
Perhaps, and most importantly, the Act unlocked new opportunities for green investment, in line with Section 15, which established the Climate Change Fund. Section 26(1) stipulates, “The Secretariat shall, with the approval of the Council, advise the MDAs responsible for regulating education curriculum in Nigeria on the integration of climate change into the various disciplines and subjects at all educational levels.”
Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, underpinned by the legal instrument provided by the Climate Change Act, has attracted significant international funding, including a $3 billion commitment to support our transition to cleaner energy sources. These are not abstract figures, they represent jobs, infrastructure, and a healthier environment for future generations.
President Buhari’s leadership in this area was characteristically understated, but profoundly impactful. He did not seek accolades for signing the Climate Change Act, nor did he use it as a political tool. His motivation was simple: To do what was right for Nigeria’s long-term benefit. His willingness to champion a cause whose full benefits may not be realised for decades speak volumes about his character and vision.
The lesson from President Buhari’s assent of the Climate Change Act is that true leadership is not about grand gestures, but about making the difficult decisions and sacrifices that shape a better tomorrow. In the quiet determination with which he advanced this cause, he demonstrated the very best essence of public service.
This author was again privileged to witness his robust leadership at COP22 in Marrakesh, Morocco, where President Buhari embraced the Paris Agreement’s implementation as a gateway to sustainable transformation. “We welcome the entry into force of the Paris Agreement on 4th November 2016,” he said, describing the next phase as an opportunity “to re‑orientate our economies, to build inclusive, sustainable societies that respond to climate change and support Sustainable Development Goals.” That message reflected both optimism and urgency.
In 2018, during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in Beijing, President Buhari spoke on the interconnected challenges of climate, conflict, and economic recovery. His emphasis on rebuilding Nigeria’s Northeast and other affected regions demonstrated a holistic understanding of climate resilience.
“We call for continued partnership in addressing threats from violent extremists in the Sahel/Sahara region; the Lake Chad Basin and the Gulf of Guinea; and the rehabilitation of the insurgency‑ravaged Northeast of Nigeria,” he urged, reinforcing the impact of climate change on national and regional stability.
President Buhari clearly understood the danger ahead: Namely, that Lake Chad was not just drying up, but that it was taking with it the livelihoods of millions and fueling the desperation that breeds extremism. He saw the nexus between our disappearing forests and the conflicts over grazing lands. His vision extended beyond quarterly GDP reports to the Nigeria that our grandchildren would inherit.
I recall his address, delivered through the then Environment Minister, Mohammed H. Abdullahi, where he framed the disaster not as an isolated event, but also as a warning. “Our people and nations are on the line,” he declared. The blame game, he insisted, had to end. It was a moment of moral clarity that resonated deeply with me, a reminder that leadership meant speaking the hard truths.
One other enduring climate change legacy is Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, the first of its kind in Africa which was launched in 2021. It was vintage Buhari: Ambitious, yet well grounded, targeting universal energy access by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2060.
Although critics dubbed it unrealistic, those of us who worked closely on environmental policy understood its brilliance. By tying climate action to energy poverty reduction, he made the case that sustainability and development were not mutually exclusive. His plan envisioned solar powered villages, campuses, industries running on clean energy, and a future where Nigeria’s youth could thrive without fleeing to polluted cities or risking desert crossings and voyages to Europe.
As I mourn his passing, I take solace in the fact that his legacy lives on through the enduring impact of this signature legislation. The Climate Change Act is more than a policy achievement; it is a foundation upon which Nigeria can build an environmentally healthy, sustainable and prosperous future. The trees we plant today, the emissions we reduce, and the communities we protect will stand as living tributes to a leader, who saw beyond the immediate horizon.
Yet, for all these achievements, what I remember most is the man behind them. The way his voice would mellow when speaking of Lake Chad, as if mourning an old friend. The commitment when demanding climate finance from reluctant Western nations. His unshakable conviction that Nigeria could lead Africa’s green revolution while lifting millions from energy poverty. We cannot continue to lament, but pray.
May his soul find eternal rest, and may we honour his memory by upholding the values of diligence, foresight, and selfless service that he embodied through the faithful implementation of the Climate Change Act. The work continues, but it is work made easier by the foundation that the man Buhari helped to lay.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted thunderstorms and rains from Monday, July 21 to Wednesday, July 23, 2025, across the country.
Thundery weather
NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja envisaged thunderstorms with rains on Monday during early morning hours over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Kebbi, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Sokoto and Kaduna states.
“The remaining parts of the region are expected to be sunny with patches of cloud.
“Thunderstorms with moderate rains are expected during the afternoon or evening hours over parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Kebbi, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Katsina, Kano, Zamfara, Kaduna and Yobe states,” it said.
According to the agency, cloudy skies are anticipated over the central region during the morning hours with prospects of thunderstorms with light rains over parts of Niger.
NiMet anticipated thunderstorms with rain over parts of Plateau, Nasarawa, the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi, Benue and Niger states later in the day.
It also envisaged cloudy skies over the southern region during the morning period.
It added that light rain is expected over parts of Imo, Abia, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states during the afternoon or evening hours.
“For Tuesday, sunny skies with patches of clouds are expected over the northern region during the morning hours with prospects of thunderstorms and moderate rains over parts of Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe and Jigawa states.
“Thunderstorms with moderate rains are expected during the afternoon or evening hours over parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Kano, Katsina and Kaduna states.
“Morning thunderstorms with light rains are anticipated over parts of Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa states of the central region,” it said.
NiMet equally predicted thunderstorms with moderate rains over parts of Plateau, Niger, the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa states later in the day.
The agency envisaged cloudy skies over the southern region during the morning hours with chances of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
It predicted moderate rains over Ondo, Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Edo, Rivers, Cross River, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states during the afternoon or evening periods.
“For Wednesday, sunny skies with patches of cloud are expected over the northern regions with prospects of morning thunderstorms with rain over parts of Katsina, Kano, Bauchi, Sokoto and Taraba states.
“Thunderstorms with moderate rains are expected over parts of Yobe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Borno and Kebbi states in the afternoon or evening hours,” it said.
The agency envisaged cloudy skies over the northern region during the morning hours.
It forecast moderate rains over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Niger and Kwara States during the afternoon to evening periods.
According to NiMet, there are prospects of morning rains over parts of Enugu, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states in the southern region, while the remaining parts are expected to be cloudy.
It predicted moderate to heavy rains over parts of Ebonyi, Abia, Edo, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states during the afternoon or evening periods.
It urged the public to take adequate precaution as strong winds might precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur and to ensure that loose objects are fastened to avoid collisions.
“Driving under heavy rain should be avoided. Disconnect electrical appliances from electrical sockets. Stay away from tall trees to avoid impact from falling branches and broken trees.
“Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.
“Residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet and visit our website www.nimet.gov.ng,” it said.
The Federal Government says desertification and land degradation have impacted the livelihoods of more than 40 million Nigerians and affected 43 per cent of the country’s landmass, approximately 923,000 square kilometres.
Desertification in Nigeria
Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Lawal, said this on Friday, July 18, 2025, in Abuja at a National Dialogue themed “Restore the Land: Unlock the Opportunities.”
The event was organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) under its Climate Change Project, with support from the Federal Ministry of Environment.
The dialogue was held to commemorate the 2025 World Desertification and Drought Day (WDD) and Sand and Dust Day.
Represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Mahmud Kambari, the minister described land degradation as a global crisis.
He noted that dryland degradation had resulted in the loss of 24 billion tonnes of fertile soil globally, significantly reducing food production and threatening food security.
Citing the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Lawal said that more than two million hectares of land were lost annually to desertification, land degradation, and drought.
“In spite of this, it is estimated that 300 million hectares of land will be required to meet food demand by the year 2030,” he said.
He explained that the 2025 WDD theme emphasised the importance of investing in sustainable land management practices to prevent and reverse land degradation.
The efforts, he said, also tackled broader challenges such as economic and food insecurity, water shortages, and climate change.
Lawal stressed that achieving Nigeria’s socio-economic growth targets would not be possible without environmental protection and sustainable management of land and natural resources.
He added that the government was prioritising environmental issues and had developed institutions, policies, action plans, programmes, and projects aimed at addressing land degradation, desertification, and related environmental threats.
Also speaking, Mrs. Regina Nwaneri, Director of the Department of Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought Management, said Nigeria, as a party to the UNCCD, remained committed to combating desertification.
However, she warned that current land restoration efforts were not at a scale sufficient to meet urgent national and global needs.
She noted that, in spite of UN projections that $1 billion was needed daily from 2025 to 2030 to combat land degradation, current investments in restoration efforts fell short of that goal.
Nonetheless, she acknowledged the Nigerian government’s ongoing investments in land restoration and drought management.
Earlier, Mr. Ifeanyi Chukwudi, Senior Project Manager at CJID, stated that the centre was working with relevant ministries and stakeholders to promote scalable, policy-driven interventions.
He added that CJID was also supporting research and the media in raising awareness of drought and desertification challenges.
“We have engaged more than 500 journalists across Nigeria and the Lake Chad region to spotlight land issues and bring them to the forefront for policymaker attention,” Chukwudi said.
He called on the government to hold land users accountable, particularly organisations that extracted natural resources without approval, proper land assessments, or adherence to regulatory procedures.
The Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has requested that, because of the pivotal place of the environment to life, it (the environment) should be made a fundamental rights issue in the Nigerian Constitution.
EDEN executive director, Prince Chima Williams, at the Public Hearing in Lagos
EDEN executive director, Prince Chima Williams, made the submission in a memorandum presented in Lagos on Saturday, July 19, 2025, to the Zonal Public Hearing on the Proposed Alteration to the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as Amended.
The forum was organised by the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution.
Williams stated: “The environment is captured in Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution, which is under Chapter 2; directive principles of state policy, which is a mere statement of intent of the government. It is an unenforceable chapter of the Constitution, and we are saying that because of the pivotal place of the environment as life depends on the environment, that environment should be moved from Chapter 2 into Chapter 4, which is the fundamental rights provision of the Constitution so that environment should be protected and sections in that Chapter renumbered to capture environment as a fundamental right issue.”
In that same vein, EDEN is demanding that the Chief Justice of the Federation should give directives to create environmental courts out of all existing Federal High Courts and State High Courts in the country.
“From all existing courts, the Chief Justice should give directives for the creation of special courts that only have to do with environment, because environment matters are life and death matters that should be handled with dispatch. But what we see today is that the time lag that takes place in litigation makes citizens who are clamouring for the protection of their environment through litigation, majority of them die before the court delivers its judgement,” he stated.
While saying that the greatest destroyers of the environment are the extractive sectors and that extractive issues are in the exclusive legislative list of the Constitution, EDEN wants petroleum-related issues moved from the exclusive list to the concurrent list “so that both states and the federal can legislate, and both federal and states high courts can have authority to litigate over environmental issues”
EDEN executive director, Prince Chima Williams, handing over the Memorandum to the House of Representatives Committee chairman at the Public Hearing
On the Land Use Act, Williams submitted: “We are asking that the Land Use Act should be repealed and where it is not repealed that the section should be amended to expunge the section that grants autonomy and power to state governors to hold land in their state in trust for the citizens .So, state governors should be stripped of their powers over land in the state so that land should revert back to the communities and individuals that own so that they can use it for economic development and empowerment.”
On elections-related issues, EDEN demanded: “We are also asking that issues related to election and electoral timetable should be made in such a way that elections timetable starts from the lowest. State House of Assembly, National Assembly, Senate and House of Representatives elections conducted in one day, while Governorship and Presidency conducted the same day, but the time interval between the two elections should not be more than five working days, and that everybody that wants to contest election (no matter your position) should resign minimally 90 days before the election. And all election petitions and contestations should be concluded before inauguration or swearing in so that state resources will not be used by one individual against the others.”
According to Williams, the submission is already being made at the South East Zone in Enugu and is also being made at the South South Zone in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
“By Monday, I would be in Abuja to make the same presentation at the National Public Hearing,” he said.
The World Liquid Gas Association (WLGA) has called for African countries to accelerate the rollout of clean cooking solutions such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), at the annual Central Africa LPG Expo where hundreds of industry representatives have gathered.
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
The event was held under the patronage of Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute, Prime Minister and Heard of Government for Cameroon, who was represented by Gaston Eloundou Essomba, Minister of Water Resources and Energy.
During the Cooking For Life Africa Workshop, the WLGA led a discussion on ways to increase access to LPG in Cameroon and central African markets. Participants agreed that key infrastructure, enforcement of existing regulations, and education of end users on safe use of LPG are critical to market growth. The event also saw the launch of Women in LPG (WINLPG) Global Network’s Cameroon National Chapter under the patronage of Her Excellency Professor Abena Ondoa, Minister for the Promotion of Women and the Family. WINLPG Cameroon becomes the fifteenth WINLPG national chapter.
With roughly four in five people in Africa and 90% of schools relying on firewood or charcoal for cooking, the IEA estimates that $4 billion of investment will be needed in Liquid Gases, such as LPG, in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030, to move communities and institutions away from harmful cooking methods.
Lacking access to clean cooking leads to devastating consequences including higher rates of respiratory illnesses, contributions to deforestation and environmental damage, and the enforcement of economic and social barriers. In January 2025, 12 African countries signaled their intent to accelerate the pace of clean cooking solutions on the world’s fastest-growing continent, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 7. This follows the African Development Bank’s pledge in August 2024, to invest $200 million in boosting access to clean cooking by 2030.
The IEA estimates that, to meet the 2030 target, $4 billion of investment will be needed in sub-Saharan Africa. This not only provides cooking facilities that are cleaner, safer and more efficient, but can also boost new energy infrastructure investment on the continent, creating jobs, increasing productivity and bringing economic empowerment with it.
Of particular importance is converting African schools to use LPG for cooking as 90% of African schools currently rely on firewood and charcoal for cooking meals. In Kenya alone, 1.3 million metric tonnes of wood are being consumed each year by schools. A study by the CLEAN-Air (Africa) programme showed that in Kenyan schools, the WHO recommended limits for PM2.5, carbon monoxide and other dangerous chemicals, were exceeded in all areas, with average kitchen levels up to five times the maximum limits. The Equity Group Foundation’s “Clean Cooking Project”, in collaboration with the Kenyan Government, is tasked with converting all schools to LPG and provides loan facilities with repayment over a five-year time frame.
The IEA estimates that Africa’s LPG demand will grow 4.7% annually to 2028, driven by the shift from biomass to cleaner fuels, which will reduce deforestation, cut carbon emissions, and improve public health.
In the Global South, LPG offers a clean and cost-effective energy solution to communities deprived of access to grid electricity. This transformative fuel humanises access to energy, creating substantial benefits for over a billion people, primarily women and girls, who reside in areas where reliance on unsustainable biomass and other hazardous fuels for cooking persists. This not only contributes to mitigating climate change but also enhances overall quality of life.
Households without clean cooking spend an average of five hours per day collecting fuel and cooking, leading to lost time and productivity. A lack of clean cooking prevents many women and girls from accessing education, earning a wage or starting a business that would deliver financial autonomy and boost local economies.
James Rockall, Managing Director and CEO, World Liquid Gas Association, said: “LPG is a portable, clean and efficient energy source which can provide a localised energy solution for schools and communities. We live in an increasingly unstable world caused by trade uncertainty and natural and humanitarian disasters – LPG offers a dependable and accessible fuel for communities across the Global South.”
Gaston Eloundou Essomba, Cameroon Minister of Water Resources and Energy,said: “LPG plays a vital role in Cameroon’s energy landscape, supporting economic growth, environmental sustainability and public health improvement. Over the years, our LPG market has witnessed remarkable progress, driven by an ambitious government policy, increasing national and foreign investment, and growing consumer demand.”
Communities across Africa on Friday, July 18, 2025, came together to mark one year of REPower Afrika, a campaign advocating for decentralised, people-powered renewable energy solutions. Offline mobilisations took place in Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), uniting communities, civil society, and youth leaders in a shared call for energy justice, equity, and urgency in Africa’s transition.
REPower Afrika campaigners in Abuja
In Hoima, Uganda, the Oil Refinery Residents Association (ORRA) convened a community energy forum, creating space for farmers and resettled families affected by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) to share their lived experiences and visions for a just energy future. Meanwhile, in Tanga, Tanzania, the Partnership for Green Future (PGF) is hosting a similar community celebration and stakeholder dialogue, bringing together residents, youth leaders, and local policymakers.
Both gatherings include storytelling, open dialogue, and reflections on one year of REPower, with panels focused on community needs and policy gaps. Participants were encouraged to contribute to a “Vision Wall” where they can share their energy dreams and engage with a “Call to Action” station featuring petitions and volunteer sign-ups – collectively envisioning accessible, socially owned energy systems that can power homes, schools, and small businesses.
“This is a celebration of action, resilience, and community power. From Hoima to Tanga to Kinshasa, communities are showing what a people-centered energy transition looks like. We are not just resisting fossil fuel expansion, we are building a new future powered by justice and collective imagination,” said Lynn Kamande, Regional Campaign Organiser at 350Africa.org.
In Kinshasa, DRC, the Mouvement des Jeunes pour la Protection de l’Environnement (MJPE) organised a creative action at the symbolic Échangeur de Limete, where 30 participants, including volunteers from Greenpeace Africa and the Laudato Si Movement, gathered with banners, posters, and a clear message: fossil fuel dependency must be replaced with clean, just, locally led energy alternatives.
To mark this milestone, 350Africa.org and the Afrika Vuka network launched a new creative advocacy tool, the “Solar Samurai: The Comic Book”. It’s a storytelling project that brings the campaign’s vision to life through art. The comic follows African communities standing up to fossil fuel companies and pushing for clean, just, and community-owned energy solutions. The comic is freely available for public download and is meant to inspire communities, students, and youth activists. It was created as part of the campaign’s broader public education strategy.
Since its launch on July 18, 2024, REPower Afrika has driven more than 25 actions across the continent, building community networks, supporting local organising, convening dialogues, and expanding the narrative around energy and climate justice in Africa.
According to the promoters, the anniversary is not just a reflection on the past year, but a collective call to deepen the organising, demand urgent investment in decentralised renewable energy, and continue placing communities at the heart of the transition.
As the 20th African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) concluded on Friday, July 18, 2025, in Nairobi, Greenpeace Africa acknowledges the collective resolve to address the continent’s most pressing environmental challenges in the Tripoli Declaration while calling on African environment ministers to strengthen their commitments on critical environmental issues.
AMCEN-20 in Nairobi, Kenya. Photo credit: Ahmed Nayim Yussuf/UNEP
Key wins
Ministers have pledged support for a robust Global Plastics Treaty that tackles pollution across the entire lifecycle, emphasised the need for accessible climate finance to build resilience, and committed to protecting vital ecosystems such as wetlands, through enhanced governance and direct support for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs).
Greenpeace Africa particularly applauds the declaration’s focus on circular economy principles and sustainable chemicals management, which echo the continent’s growing momentum toward reducing plastic production and ensuring polluters bear the cost of environmental damage.
Missed opportunities
However, the declaration falls short in holding polluters accountable for climate damages and inadequately addresses the crucial role of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in forest protection, lacking specific funding mechanisms, legal recognition, or meaningful decision-making inclusion.
Esther Syombua, Regional Coordinator at Greenpeace Africa, said: “While the declaration calls for enhanced governance and finance, it avoids direct corporate accountability measures like polluter-pays principles, fossil fuel company taxation, or mandatory compensation schemes – effectively letting polluting corporations off the hook while placing the burden on African governments.”
Greenpeace Africa is, however, concerned about the declaration’s implicit support for false solutions such as carbon credit schemes, which risk undermining genuine climate action.
Hellen Kahaso Dena, Pan-Africa Plastic Project Lead at Greenpeace Africa, said: “Carbon credits and other false solutions like waste-to-energy incineration often serve as greenwashing tactics by polluters, diverting attention from genuine emission reductions and perpetuating harmful practices like open burning hat disproportionately affect vulnerable African communities. We urge ministers to prioritise proven strategies, including production caps on plastics, enforceable polluter-pays mechanisms, and direct financing for IPLCs to safeguard forests and biodiversity.”
The outcomes of AMCEN 20 will directly inform Africa’s positions at upcoming international forums, including INC 5.2 on plastics, COP30 on climate, and UNEA 7. Greenpeace Africa calls on African governments to build on this momentum by implementing the Tripoli Declaration with concrete, time-bound actions that centre equity, community rights, and ecological integrity.
Greenpeace Africa says it remains committed to working with African governments and civil society partners to advance environmental protection and climate justice across the continent.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and four concerned Nigerians have filed a lawsuit against the government of President Bola Tinubu over “the failure to publish the report of the forensic audit carried out on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which allegedly indicts high-ranking officials and politicians over missing N6 trillion from the commission between 2001 and 2019.”
Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
Following the allegations of grand corruption, the late former president Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 ordered a forensic audit of the NDDC’s operations. Also, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, recently alleged that the wife of a former minister collected N48 billion over 12 months “to train Niger Delta women.”
The four concerned Nigerians in the suit are: prince Taiwo Aiyedatiwa; chief Jude Igbogifurotogu Pulemote; Ben Omietimi Tariye; and princess Elizabeth Egbe.
In the suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/35/25 filed last Friday before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, the plaintiffs are seeking: “a declaration that the failure of the Nigerian government to publish the NDDC forensic report amounts to a fundamental breach of the country’s international human rights obligations.”
The plaintiffs are seeking “an order directing and compelling the Nigerian governmentto publish and ensure access to information to the NDDC forensic report which has been submitted to the government but remains shrouded in secrecy.”
The plaintiffs are also seeking “an order directing and compelling the Nigerian government to adopt and ensure effective measures to address transparency and accountability gaps in the spending of public funds budgeted for the NDDC.”
In the suit, the plaintiffs are arguing that,“The Nigerian government has violated our right to know the truth about the corruption allegations documented in the NDDC forensic report. The obstruction of the publication of the report is perpetrating impunity and the cover-up of the allegations documented in the report.”
The plaintiffs are also arguing that, “Implicit in freedom of expression is the public’s right to open access to information and to know what governments are doing on their behalf, without which truth would languish and people’s participation in government would remain fragmented and illusory.”
The plaintiffs are arguing that, “The Nigerian government has failed and refused to publish the NDDC forensic report and has failed to provide any reasons or grounds for withholding the report from the plaintiffs and the Nigerian public.”
According to the plaintiffs, “The Nigerian government has the legal obligations to guarantee and ensure transparency and access to information regarding the NDDC forensic report as a component of the right to seek, receive, and impart information of all kinds.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP and the four concerned Nigerians by their lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, reads in part: “There is an overriding public interest in the publication and disclosure of the NDDC forensic report.”
“The Nigerian government’s continuing failure to publish the NDDC forensic report denies the plaintiffs the ability to truly study the report and hold the government to account, as well as damages the rule of law and violates the plaintiffs’ other rights.
“The information sought is not classified information for reasons of national security, as the NDDC forensic report relates to issues of transparency, accountability and human rights, which are covered under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“Access to public information is a fundamental human right protected by Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which require the Nigerian government to respect, promote and ensure it. Nigeria has ratified both human rights treaties.
“Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights include a positive obligation on the Nigerian government to allow the plaintiffs to access the NDDC forensic report under its custody and control.
“Access to information is a basic tool for building citizenship, and the plaintiffs have the right to participate in matters of public interest, such as pursuing accountability and justice for victims of corruption documented in the NDDC forensic report.
“These matters of public interest are part of the ideals underlying the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party.
“Access to information regarding the NDDC forensic report would enable the plaintiffs to effectively exercise their human rights and to hold the Nigerian government to account for the allegations documented in the report.
“Public access to the NDDC forensic report would also promote democratic participation, and empower the citizens to hold the Nigerian government accountable and to control corruption in the country.
“In order to guarantee the full and effective exercise of the right of access to information, state administration, including the Nigerian government must follow the principles of maximum disclosure and good faith.
“The principle of maximum disclosure is a guiding principle of the right to information, found in Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“The principle of maximum disclosure calls for a legal regime in which transparency and the right to access are the general rule and are only subject to strict and limited exceptions. The right of access to information is the rule, and secrecy is the exception.
“The right of access to information is not absolute; it can be subject to limitations.
“However, these limitations must comply strictly with the requirements derived from international human rights law, namely that limitations are exceptional, legally enshrined, based on a legitimate aim, and necessary and proportional for pursuing that aim.
“However, the exceptions should not become the general rule; they must take into account that access to information is the rule and secrecy the exception.
“The Nigerian government has the burden of proof of demonstrating that limits to publishing and accessing information regarding the NDDC forensic report are compatible with international human rights standards and the corresponding legal obligations imposed on the country.
“Since the NDDC forensic report is in the custody of the Nigerian government and under its control, discretionary and arbitrary acts of the State must be avoided in establishing restrictions on the right to information and transparency.
“The denial of access to information regarding the NDDC forensic report is a violation of the plaintiffs’ right to a legal remedy and incompatible with the requirements of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
