Environmental issues not given required attention in Nigeria— Minister

Minister of Environment has raised alarm over the persistent neglect of environmental issues in Nigeria, warning that this oversight threatens public health, food security, and the economy. Speaking during a ministerial press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja, the Minister stressed that environmental concerns are still not treated with the seriousness they deserve, especially within Nigeria’s legal framework. He cited the case of two elephants killed in Borno State, believed to be among the last surviving West African species; saying efforts to secure justice have stalled due to gaps in environmental legislation. The Minister called for stronger support from both leaders and citizens, emphasising that the environment cannot be saved by government efforts alone.
“Environmental issues are not given the kind of attention they require in the legal system of Nigeria. Environmental crimes are not seen as serious as other crimes in our society. When I came in, I found there are so many cases, but the code of laws is not there. So we are going to look to justice to see how we can sharpen our legal system to address environmental crimes and make them as severe as other offences. Environmental issues require everybody to be on board, particularly the President. We want you to be on board, because the environment requires your support,” he said. He also said that many Nigerians still lack awareness about how pollution, deforestation, and climate change affect their daily lives. Even the COVID issue was an environmental issue. So, we must educate people on how to take care of their environment,” he said.
In a move to address funding gaps in the sector, the Minister announced that Nigeria will launch its third and fourth sovereign green bonds, worth a combined N250 billion, to finance clean energy and climate-friendly infrastructure. The third bond, valued at N150 billion, is expected to be issued in May 2025, while the fourth, worth N100 billion, will follow in October. According to him, the new funds will support access to clean energy in schools and hospitals, water projects, e-mobility, and solar mini-grids in areas affected by deforestation. He assured that the new bonds will be more efficiently managed, following lessons from past delays caused by poor inter-ministerial coordination. “Nigeria was the first African country to issue a sovereign green bond and the third in the world.
The first and second bonds, issued in 2017 and 2019, raised N10.7 billion and N15 billion respectively,” he said. The Minister also revealed that Nigeria and Cameroon signed a bilateral agreement on April 19, 2020, after over a decade of delay. The agreement aims to protect forest reserves across borders, including the Cross River National Park and Corotho National Park in Cameroon. Other initiatives include mangrove restoration in oil-impacted areas, nine new water treatment plants in Rivers State, and the planting of 20 million trees across northern Nigeria to combat desertification. To reduce reliance on firewood, he said the Ministry is promoting bamboo as a sustainable alternative. Bamboo is currently being cultivated in Kwara, Cross River, Ogun, Ekiti, and Kano states.