The executive Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi and the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, have jointly flagged off a renewed nationwide reforestation campaign as part of activities marking the 10th anniversary of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW).
At the event held in Dutse, Jigawa state, Governor Umar Namadi, represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Aminu Usman Gumel, launched a N50 million Date Palm Trees Initiative to combat desertification and restore degraded land across the eleven frontline state.
The Governor said the initiative would boost economic activities and strengthen resilience against climate change impacts in frontline states like Jigawa.
He started that the tree-planting programme aligns with several ongoing projects under the state’s environmental sustainability plan. These include the One Student-One Tree Initiative, which has led to the planting of over 200,000 trees across schools, and the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project, under which more than 5,000 hectares of degraded land are being reclaimed
The Governor noted that flood control measures are underway in 32 vulnerable areas, with over 130 kilometres of embankments already constructed to protect farmlands and settlements. The date palm initiative, he added, will be rolled out across all 27 local government areas, with land allocated, extension agents deployed, and contractors engaged.
In his keynote address, The Minister of Environment Balarabe Abbas Lawal, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Mahmud Adam Kambari, commended the agency’s achievements over the past decade in tackling land degradation and supporting rural livelihoods. He said the anniversary was a moment to reflect and scale up impact.
The Minister announced a new Five-Year Strategic Plan by the agency to plant 50 million date palm trees across the 11 frontline states, beginning with the distribution of 5 million seedlings in 2025.
He said the initiative would strengthen the forest economy and contribute to Nigeria’s target of generating a $1 trillion forest-based economy by 2030.
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, Saleh Abubakar MFR described the new tree-planting drive as a bold step towards climate adaptation and sustainable economic growth.
He said NAGGW has over the past ten years planted millions of trees and restored degraded lands across the eleven frontline states of it operation.
Abubakar said the new initiative would enhance agroforestry, improve income security, and further strengthen the agency’s core mission.
Jigawa State’s Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Nura Ibrahim, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to sustainable environmental governance. He disclosed that six environmental laws have been submitted to the House of Assembly for amendment, covering forestry, bush burning control, and sanitation.
Signed
Amina Ahmed Garba
Press and Public Relations Unit.
1st August, 2025.
