By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to tackling climate change and promoting environmental sustainability through strategic policies and programs that aim to secure the future of Nigeria’s cities and citizens.

Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mahmud Adam Kambari, made this known while delivering a keynote address at the Abuja City Environmental Sustainability Summit 2025, themed “Sustainable Urban Transformation: Building a Resilient and Green Abuja,” held on Tuesday in Abuja.

He identified Abuja’s major environmental challenges as flooding, poor waste management, traffic congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, stressing that they are more than ecological problems.

To combat these challenges, he outlined the Ministry’s green transformation agenda, which includes promoting public transportation, electric vehicles, cycling and walking systems, green spaces, energy-efficient buildings, smart technologies, and circular economy practices.

He further highlighted ongoing national efforts such as the Clean Cooking Policy, National Adaptation Plan, National Gender and Climate Change Policy, and Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL).

He said, “Nigeria remains committed to its environmental and climate action goals initiated in line with the renewed agenda of Mr. President. Through targeted policies and programs, we will continue to prioritize nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration, and adaptive capacity at all levels.

“These are developmental issues. They affect our health, economy, livelihood, and quality of life,” he said.

Also speaking, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, represented by his Special Adviser (Technical), Prof. Babatunde Bernard, emphasized joint responsibility in addressing climate change.

He said, “To the government, Abuja is a very strategic location in the country, it is the capital city and if you notice it is also fast becoming an economic hub as well just like Lagos, so we must continue to develop in line with the current situation of our environment, waste ma and of course green technologies to be able to secure the city and make it a sustainable one.

“ It’s a conscious effort by all of us, the government and the people themselves. The awareness is being created, we have a national waste management, we have now a national climate change entity, and then we have quite a lot of government efforts towards this climate change issues to have a sustainable city.”

“And Abuja is for all of us, it’s the capital city of Nigeria, so it’s a place for all of us and we must jointly come together to be able to take care of it in a more sustainable way.” He said

The Convener and Special Assistant to the President on Climate Change Matters, Yussuf Olatunji Kelani, described climate change as the greatest global threat, saying its impacts vary across Nigeria’s regions.

He emphasized that achieving meaningful climate action begins with public understanding.

He said, “The Northern part contends with drought and desert encroachment, the South faces flooding, and the central belt struggles with gully erosion and conflict intensified by environmental stress.

“Whatever program or project we want to implement, people must first understand the language of climate change. That’s why we’re working with the Ministry of Environment to introduce climate change as a subject in Nigeria’s educational curriculum — so that from an early stage, citizens understand what it means, not only when they begin to experience it.”

Kelani also highlighted the launch of the Presidential Climate Change Action and Resilience Enhancement Scheme (P-CARES), a strategic platform under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Through P-CARES, his office is driving public education, ecosystem restoration, renewable energy adoption, waste-to-wealth initiatives, and inclusive empowerment for women and youth.

He said, “In addressing adaptation, we must also create economic opportunities. Many young people, women, and vulnerable groups lack awareness of empowerment programs linked to climate solutions. Through P-CARES, we are bridging that gap by connecting climate resilience with livelihood development,” he said.

He further noted the summit’s importance as a blueprint for national replication.

He said, “What we’re doing here today in Abuja will not stay here. The President is expecting this report. These recommendations will be implemented and scaled across Nigeria’s cities to ensure no state is left behind in the green transition.”

The Executive Director of Global Initiative for Food Security & Ecosystem Preservation, Michael Terungwa David, urged the FCT Administration to develop a deliberate and coordinated environmental policy.

David called for stronger community participation and government accountability in environmental governance.

“As Nigeria’s capital and a symbol of national progress, Abuja faces rapid urbanization, population growth, and infrastructure expansion. Without a clear environmental framework, efforts remain fragmented, reactive, and ineffective.

“One of the greatest legacy projects is a clean and sustainable environment — or else, we may just be building a concrete jungle,” he added.