The Federal Government has called on Nigerians to embrace mass tree planting as a critical measure to combat desertification, land degradation and the growing effects of climate change across the country.
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Saleh Abubakar, made the appeal in a message marking the 2026 World Environment Day.
Abubakar said the call aligns with the environmental sustainability agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which is focused on addressing desertification, restoring degraded lands and strengthening climate resilience nationwide.
He noted that World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5, remains the United Nations’ leading platform for raising awareness and promoting action on environmental protection.
Speaking on the 2026 theme, “Now for Climate,” also expressed as “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future,” Abubakar urged Nigerians to take an active role in environmental stewardship by adopting sustainable practices in their communities.
According to him, the agency will continue to intensify tree planting, agroforestry and community empowerment programmes aimed at building climate resilience, particularly in Nigeria’s frontline states affected by desertification.
He explained that restoring degraded landscapes goes beyond environmental conservation, stressing that it also improves food security, creates employment opportunities and enhances livelihoods.
The NAGGW boss identified the agency’s 11 frontline states as Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.
Abubakar recalled that the agency launched a nationwide campaign in 2025 to plant 50 million date palm seedlings across the frontline states as part of efforts to curb desertification, generate green jobs and stimulate economic growth.
“Planting fruit trees such as date palms not only restores degraded land but also strengthens local economies and improves household nutrition,” he said.
He added that trees play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow the encroachment of the Sahara Desert.
Abubakar reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to promoting sustainable land management and climate-resilient initiatives that support environmental restoration and socio-economic development across affected communities.
