By Faridat Salifu
The Federal Government has launched the National Clean Air Programme and the #BreatheEasyNigeria campaign to curb rising air pollution and protect citizens’ health.
The unveiling took place in Abuja during the commemoration of the third International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies at the Ministry of Environment conference hall.
Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, said the initiative reflects Nigeria’s commitment to safeguarding future generations through stronger air quality management.
He warned that air pollution is the world’s leading environmental health risk, killing over seven million people annually, more than malaria and HIV/AIDS combined.
Lawal identified bush burning, vehicular emissions, gas flaring and poor waste management as Nigeria’s biggest pollution sources, with severe effects on health and ecosystems.
He said the Tinubu administration is driving a shift to low-sulphur fuels, promoting CNG and LNG, discouraging old vehicle imports and supporting electric vehicles.
The minister announced the approval of a Green Hydrogen Project with UNIDO and plans for states to establish vehicular emissions testing centres nationwide.
He added that the measures will be reinforced by a new National Policy on Air Quality Management and a youth-led National Clean Air Programme.
The Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health also signed an MoU with the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria to extend advocacy to all local governments.
Lawal urged Nigerians to embrace sustainable practices and cleaner technologies, stressing that collective action is key to achieving blue skies.
The Permanent Secretary, Mahmud Adam Kambari, was represented by the Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, Engr. Dr Mrs. Bahijjatu Hadiza Abubakar, who described the launch as a landmark step to align Nigeria with global best practices on air quality.
She commended development partners, civil society and the private sector for supporting reforms aimed at tackling what she called a “silent killer.”
The United Nations set aside the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies to raise awareness and promote action against pollution.
Global targets under the initiative aim to achieve a 50 percent reduction in all forms of air pollution by 2030.
