In a resolute move to address the escalating environmental challenges facing the country, the Nigerian government has officially launched the “Renewed Hope Climate Change Awareness Tour.”
Speaking from the nation’s capital, President Bola Tinubu underscored the urgent need for a unified national response to climate change, describing it no longer as a “distant forecast” but as a present reality devastating livelihoods across the federation.
The President, represented by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, called on state governors, the private sector, and civil society to take the lead in transitioning Nigeria toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy.
A central theme of the launch was the empowerment of sub-national governments, with the President issuing a challenge to Nigeria’s 36 states to move beyond acknowledging their vulnerability and instead compete through innovation.
“We need to drastically improve our sub-nationals,” the President stated.
“Where states don’t have climate action plans, they must have them. Let Nigeria become the model for climate resilience development in Africa.”
Highlighting the dual-threat nature of the climate crisis in Nigeria, Lawal noted that no region is immune, with farmers grappling with aggressive desert encroachment that threatens national food security in the north, while coastal communities in the south face the twin perils of severe flooding and rapid coastal erosion.
The Minister observed that even local businesses nationwide are being affected through rising energy costs and environmental challenges.
He, however, stressed that these climate risks also present opportunities for economic growth and low-carbon development.
Dismissing the idea that environmental protection stunts economic growth, Lawal argued that the green transition is a vital engine for prosperity.
He outlined a roadmap for investment and job creation, focusing on diversifying the national energy mix through renewables and leveraging global environmental finance via carbon markets.
Furthermore, Lawal highlighted the importance of climate-smart agriculture to secure the nation’s food supply and urged Nigerian youth to reframe the climate crisis as a platform for innovation rather than a catastrophe.
The “Renewed Hope tour” aims to bring climate awareness directly to communities, identify bankable projects, and increase Nigeria’s capacity to mobilize climate finance.
This ensures every sector of the Nigerian economy aligns with the goal of reducing the national carbon footprint and building a sustainable future.
The initiative will cover all six geopolitical zones, engaging governors, lawmakers, students, and local innovators in practical climate action.
Lawal emphasized the need for strong state-level climate governance and enforcement, highlighting youth initiatives such as Eco-Schools, the Youth Climate Innovation Hub, and Uni-Go-Green, which promote environmental education and green entrepreneurship.
In a statement signed by Yussuf Olatunji Kelani, Special Assistant to the President on Climate Change Matters, the Presidency named Kelani, alongside Mr. Ibrahim Shelleng and Mr. Olamide Fagbuji (both Senior Special Assistants to the President), as Co-Chairmen of the Presidential Climate Change Initiative and leaders of the awareness tour.
The initiative’s coordinating committee includes representatives from the Federal Ministry of Environment, the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), civil society groups, development partners, and the media.
The nine-month awareness tour will cover 18 states—three from each geopolitical zone—on a rotational basis to maximize local engagement and media visibility.
The initiative’s ambitious targets include: Educating over a 100,000 participants directly, reaching 10m people through media outreach, training 1,548 climate champions to lead grassroots projects, while also Integrating climate education into school curricula.
During the inauguration, Minister Balarabe Abbas Lawal stated: “This tour represents our renewed commitment to the Paris Agreement, our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS), and Energy Transition Plan (ETP). By empowering communities and creating opportunities, we are turning climate challenges into engines of progress.”
Ambassador Sola Enikanlaiye, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs, commended the Ministry for meeting the submission deadline for the NDC 0.3, describing it as a demonstration of Nigeria’s commitment to global goals.
He noted that while much is happening under President Tinubu’s leadership regarding environmental sustainability, many Nigerians remain unaware of the gravity of these threats.
“The Renewed Hope Climate Change Awareness Tour 2025 is a timely and strategic intervention that will help bridge this gap and inspire collective action toward sustainable solutions,” Enikanlaiye said.
Co-Chairman Yussuf Kelani expressed concern regarding the skepticism many Nigerians still hold toward climate change despite its visible effects.
Supporting this, Co-Chairman Ibrahim Shelleng emphasized that the initiative seeks to nurture climate champions in every local government area.
“The purpose of this initiative is to sensitize the general public on the various efforts this administration has undertaken regarding climate change,” Shelleng said.
“We aim to build climate champions in every local government area because climate action must be both top-down and bottom-up to ensure ownership and sustainability.”
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