By Faridat Salifu
The push for a greener, more resilient Abuja took center stage last Tuesday at the Abuja City Environmental Sustainability Summit, held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Wuse.
This year’s theme, “Sustainable Urban Transformation: Building a Resilient and Green Abuja,” brought together policymakers, environmental experts, and government officials to discuss strategies for securing the capital city’s future in the face of growing environmental and climate-related challenges.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Minister of Environment, Mallam Balarabe Abbas, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ahmad Kambari, emphasized the urgent need for transformative action to tackle Abuja’s environmental issues.
The minister expressed grief that Abuja faces critical environmental and transportation challenges, including frequent flooding, poor waste management, traffic congestion, air pollution, and rising greenhouse gas emissions.
These issues, he said, are not just environmental concerns but major developmental problems that affect health, livelihoods, and economic growth.
He advocated for a sustainable urban model centered on reducing the environmental footprint, promoting a circular economy, and prioritizing people’s welfare alongside economic development.
To achieve this, Abbas proposed a comprehensive green city framework emphasizing public transport, electric vehicles, cycling, walking, the expansion of green spaces, construction of energy-efficient buildings, increased use of renewable energy, and smart technologies to optimize resource use and minimize environmental impact.
Warning that Abuja remains highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters and environmental insecurity, the minister outlined government initiatives including the National Clean Cooking Policy, the National Gender and Climate Change Policy, the National Adaptation Plan, and the Circular Economy Strategy.
He also pointed to projects like the Great Green Wall and the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes Project as examples of government efforts to build resilience and promote inclusive growth.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to environmental protection, the minister stressed that targeted policies would continue to prioritize nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration, adaptive capacity, and a transition toward a low-carbon economy.
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He urged stakeholders to adopt transformative pathways that support sustainable consumption, innovation, pollution control, green jobs, and biosafety.
In a separate address, Professor Babatunde Bernard, Special Adviser (Technical) to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), reinforced the importance of collective responsibility in achieving environmental sustainability.
He noted that while government policies and structures are being put in place, citizens must also actively contribute to maintaining a sustainable city.
Bernard cited the establishment of the National Waste Management Strategy and the National Climate Change Council as major strides toward achieving these goals. “Abuja belongs to all Nigerians,” he said. “We must come together to take care of it in a sustainable way.”
Mr. Yusuf Olatunji Kelani, Special Assistant to the President on Climate Change Matters, also addressed participants, stressing the need to prevent Abuja from repeating the environmental mistakes made in Lagos, where poor urban planning led to infrastructure decay and widespread flooding.
Kelani pointed out that although Abuja was founded on a strong master plan, there are early signs of deviation.
He called for strict compliance with urban planning and environmental regulations, describing environmental sustainability as a civic responsibility, not merely a matter of enforcement.
He emphasized that a key goal of the summit was to build greater environmental consciousness among residents, encouraging them to maintain public infrastructure and green spaces while adhering to environmental regulations.
Kelani highlighted empowerment initiatives such as “waste to wealth” programs targeted at youth and women, designed to turn waste materials into reusable and profitable products.
He announced plans to expand the environmental awareness campaign beyond the summit, reaching Abuja’s six development areas and engaging market women and local communities.
The presidential aide said the government also plans to appoint two climate champions in each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, who will drive grassroots environmental education and sensitization, with the goal of covering the entire country by the third quarter of the year.
The summit called for deeper partnerships, knowledge sharing, and progressive policies to build a more resilient and sustainable future for Abuja and Nigeria at large.
