By Faridat Salifu
Media practitioners in Nigeria have been urged to strengthen climate accountability reporting and improve coverage of gender issues in environmental governance as part of efforts to support the country’s growing climate action commitments.
The call was made during a two-day conference on Climate Governance and Gender Mainstreaming in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Minamata Convention on Mercury, held from Wednesday to Thursday ,at Happag Lloyd House in Abuja.
The conference was organised by EnviroNews Advocacy and Campaigns for Sustainability in partnership with Women Environmental Programme and brought together journalists, climate advocates, civil society organisations and development stakeholders working to strengthen climate governance reporting and gender mainstreaming in environmental policy.
Opening the conference, Publisher of EnviroNews Nigeria and Founder of ENDVOCAS, Michael Simire, said climate change remains underreported despite its growing impact on communities, stressing that the training was designed to improve the quality, accuracy and consistency of climate reporting in Nigeria.
He said journalists have a critical responsibility in shaping public understanding of climate governance, promoting accountability and influencing policy action.
Speaking on behalf of the National Network Coordinator of Climate and Sustainable Development Network, Doose Joanna Hannu described climate change as a present-day crisis already threatening livelihoods and vulnerable communities across Africa.
She said the media has an important role in translating complex climate issues into clear and actionable information for the public.
Founder and Global Lead of the Women Environmental Programme, Priscilla Achakpa, emphasised the importance of the media in bridging the gap between scientific knowledge, policy discussions and public understanding.
She encouraged journalists to use their platforms to promote gender-responsive climate solutions and amplify underrepresented voices.
Former member of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, Sam Onuigbo, urged journalists to go beyond reporting international climate summits and weather events by investigating climate finance, exposing environmental corruption and amplifying the realities of vulnerable communities.
He also called for increased inclusion of women and young people in climate decision-making, noting their important role in environmental advocacy and resilience-building.
The conference also featured technical sessions focused on strengthening journalists’ practical skills in climate and environmental reporting.
Leading one of the sessions, Michael Simire examined the outcomes of COP30 and explored emerging dynamics shaping future global climate negotiations, helping participants better understand evolving international climate governance processes.
Nkechi Isaac, Editor of Science Nigeria, guided participants on practical strategies for covering climate conferences both physically and virtually, equipping journalists with tools to improve access, engagement and real-time reporting.
In another session, Nicholas Adeniyi of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development focused on translating complex scientific information into reader-friendly media stories, stressing the need to simplify technical climate issues without losing accuracy.
On gender inclusion, John Baaki of the Women Environmental Programme led discussions on mainstreaming gender in climate change reporting, urging journalists to ensure women’s voices and experiences are better reflected in environmental stories.