Writing By Shindong Bala; Editing By Godwin Duru
Federal Ministry of Environment has expressed commitment to promoting ecosystem restoration, expanding access to clean energy, and de-risking sustainable investments.
Director of Forestry in the Ministry, Mrs. Halima Bawa Bwari stated this in Abuja at a one day Inception Stakeholders Workshop and Harmonized Approach To Cash Transfer HACT Training Programme for the Global Environmental Fund, GEF-funded Net Zero Nature Positive, Project for Niger Delta.
The Project which has a particular focus on Bayelsa and Rivers States is a collaborative initiative between UNDP and the Department of Forestry aimed at advancing sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and inclusive community engagement.
Halima Bawa Bwari who said Nigeria has over 17 National Parks, with 1,129 Forest Reserves each playing vital role in preserving the nation’s rich ecosystems, also narrated that the ministry is working to restore degraded lands, protect endangered species, and strengthen the management of protected areas.
She noted that Nigeria’s commitment to a net-zero, nature-positive future is not just aspirational, but a grounded action for the newly submitted Nationally Determined Contributions, NDCs.
“This programme represents a powerful platform to accelerate those efforts. Through the NZNP project, Nigeria will strengthen institutional coordination, boost biodiversity, restore degraded ecosystems, and unlock investment pipelines that prioritize nature-positive, low-carbon development. We are especially proud that this initiative places social equity at its core, ensuring that women, youth, and indigenous communities are not only protected but empowered.”
The Director, Planning Research and Statistics who also double as the Desk Officer, Global Environmental Facility GEF, in the Ministry, Mrs Aneke Agnes Nkechi who appreciated supporting partners such as the UNDP emphasized the need to promote ecosystem restoration towards avoiding disproportionate impact on women, children, and rural dwellers in the affected region.
Mrs. Aneke stressed that the inception workshop and training provided a platform to discuss the project’s objectives, implementation strategy, capacity building for effective delivery with stakeholders as well as the benefiting communities in order to ensure that the project achieve the desired objectives.
The UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria Ms Elsie Attafuah pledged to work with the Ministry, State governments, and local stakeholders to ensure the project achieved on the global environmental indicators.
Represented by Mr. Blessed Chirimuta, the UN country representative stated that under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria is driving forward policies that promote climate resilience, green growth, and environmental justice, especially in the Niger Delta region.
The project is expected to gulp one hundred point nine million dollars with one hundred thousand beneficiaries, a large percent of them being women.
Cov/Shindong Bala
