By Abdullahi Lukman
The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) has raised 3.85 million neem seedlings to raise nurseries across the 11 frontline states to mitigate desert encroachment, expedite reforestation and provide medicinal raw materials in the country.
The Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal, announced this last Wednesday when he also extolled the vital role of Nigeria’s forests in regulating the country’s climate and bolstering its resilience against climate change.
Speaking during a ministerial press briefing in Abuja, Lawal stated that forests are essential for biodiversity conservation, maintaining crucial water cycles, and providing livelihoods for millions of Nigerians.
He noted that the Ministry of Environment has implemented strategic measures to combat unsustainable agricultural practices, excessive logging, and infrastructure deficits, resulting in a significant reduction in deforestation and forest degradation rates, thereby mitigating adverse climate effects.
The minister emphasized the significant progress achieved in forest restoration under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
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A key initiative highlighted was the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland, aimed at implementing the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report recommendations on oil spill remediation.
Lawal announced that HYPREP has commenced the world’s most extensive mangrove restoration project, with the pilot phase covering 560 hectares now 85 percent complete and over two million seedlings of various mangrove species planted – marking Nigeria’s first multi-species mangrove restoration effort.
In a move to strengthen regional environmental cooperation, Lawal disclosed that Nigeria signed a Cooperation Framework Agreement with the Republic of Cameroon on April 19, 2024.
This agreement, he said, focuses on trans-boundary ecosystem conservation and the sustainable management of forestry and wildlife resources, aiming to protect shared ecosystems and ensure coordinated management of protected areas like the Cross River National Park (Nigeria) and Korup National Park (Cameroon).
The overarching goal of the ministry’s initiatives, according to Lawal, is to enhance the resilience of vulnerable communities, particularly in Nigeria’s drylands, to climate change and its variability.
The minister commended the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) for its research and digitalization of forest zones.
