By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

In a bold move to tackle the climate crisis while unlocking green economic opportunities, Katsina State Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda has pledged to dedicate 30 percent of the state’s annual budget to climate-resilient infrastructure and sustainability projects.

This announcement was made during the Katsina State Climate Action and Green Investment Summit, which was held on Wednesday in Abuja under the theme ‘Turning Climate Challenges into Development Opportunities in Katsina State.

At the heart of the governor’s address was a call to reframe climate adversity into opportunity. The governor’s strategic plan includes launching a ₦5 billion Green Investment Fund and creating 50,000 green jobs by 2030.

The governor emphasized that climate change is not a distant threat but a daily reality for the people of Katsina State.
He said, “In the future, my administration will enact the Katsina Climate-Related Laws within 12 months to institutionalize accountability and create a stable policy environment for green investments.
“Secondly, we will allocate 30% of our annual budget to climate-resilient infrastructure and establish a Green Investment Fund to de-risk projects and accelerate implementation, with an initial capitalization of ₦5 Billion and mechanisms to leverage additional private capital.
“Over 80% of our people depend on rain-fed agriculture and are battling with desert encroachment that swallows farmlands, erratic rainfall that disrupts planting seasons, and temperatures that rise year after year.”
Citing research from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Centre for Dryland Agriculture at Bayero University, Kano, the Governor revealed that Katsina has already lost over 20% of its arable land to desertification, while experiencing a temperature rise of 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels, exceeding the global average.
Despite the grim data, Governor Radda stressed that the state is choosing action over despair.
Part of the governor’s roadmap includes a deliberate push for job creation through eco-friendly industries.
He said, “What we have done is not cosmetic. It is transformational. What we are building is not just infrastructure. It is resilience. What we are showing the world is not just results; it is leadership.
“We are committing to creating 50,000 green jobs in Katsina by 2030. These will span renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, afforestation, and climate-smart infrastructure. We believe this is how to fight poverty while protecting our environment,” he said.
Radda also appealed to partners and stakeholders to support the state’s vision for a sustainable future.
He said, “Let us, through KAGGA — the Katsina Green and Alternative Growth Agenda — plant those roots today for a sustainable, prosperous, and climate-resilient Katsina tomorrow.”
Also speaking at the event, Minister of Environment Balarabe Abbas Lawal commended the state government for taking climate leadership at a subnational level.
He pointed out that the Sahel region, where Katsina is situated, is among Nigeria’s most vulnerable to climate shocks, making its proactive approach especially commendable.
He said, “Katsina is not just adapting to climate change but leading with innovation. It also presents a unique platform to attract responsible private sector investment that aligns with both environmental sustainability and economic prosperity.
“The Federal Ministry of Environment stands ready to support Katsina through programs like the Great Green Wall and ACReSAL. What we are witnessing today is what sub-national leadership should look like in a climate emergency,” Lawal added.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Malick Fall, described the event as a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s climate journey.
Fall reiterated the UN’s support for sub-national actors in Nigeria and emphasized the importance of aligning Katsina’s efforts with the country’s broader climate commitments under the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
He said, “This gathering matters because climate action is not just about managing risk. It’s about unlocking opportunity.
“Katsina and the wider Northwest hold enormous potential: abundant solar and wind resources, innovative farmers, dynamic youth, and resilient communities. These are the building blocks of a green economy if we choose to invest in them wisely.
“With bold action, Nigeria can lead Africa into a cleaner, safer, and more prosperous future — protecting mangroves in the South, strengthening agriculture in the North, and creating jobs for the next generation in every community,” he said.