The Federal Government on Monday in Abuja commended the support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in addressing Nigeria’s environmental challenges.
The Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Lawal, gave the commendation at the National Capacity Building Workshop on Project Oversight for GEF Operational Focal Point (OFP) and implementing partners in Nigeria.
“The Global Environment Facility has remained a long-standing and strategic partner to Nigeria in addressing our critical environmental challenges,” the minister said.
Lawal noted that the workshop underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening environmental governance, improving project delivery and ensuring that Nigeria maximizes the benefits of global environmental financing.
The minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Mahmud Kambari, said the country faced a complex mix of environmental challenges.
According to him, these include desertification encroaching on the northern frontiers, plastic pollution threatening cities and waterways, biodiversity loss across key ecosystems, oil contamination in the Niger Delta and climate change risks that continue to endanger lives and livelihoods.
“These challenges demand not only financial resources, but also strong institutional capacity to plan, implement, monitor and oversee projects effectively.
“In this regard, GEF-supported projects have played a significant role in advancing environmental sustainability in Nigeria,” he said.
Lawal said GEF interventions had supported biodiversity conservation initiatives that helped conserve more than 500 indigenous plant species, promoted sustainable forest management and strengthened community-based conservation efforts nationwide.
“In the area of climate change mitigation, GEF projects have focused on renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable land-use practices, contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s climate action goals.
“GEF has also been instrumental in addressing land degradation by supporting initiatives that promote sustainable agriculture, restore degraded landscapes and enhance food security and ecosystem health,” he said.
In his remarks, Kambari said the workshop was the result of a shared commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s engagement with the GEF and ensuring that the country was fully equipped to manage its project portfolio to international standards.
He was represented by Mrs Nkechi Aneke, Director of the Department of Planning, Research and Statistics in the ministry.
Kambari noted that Nigeria, with over three decades of partnership with the GEF, continued to benefit from programmes addressing biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, land degradation control, international waters management, and the reduction of chemicals and waste.
“However, achieving real impact requires more than funding; it requires coordination, technical competence and strong oversight,” he said.
The permanent secretary commended the GEF, in collaboration with the Tropical Biology Association (TBA), for providing funding support for the workshop.
Also speaking, Dr Michael David, Executive Director of the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), said the training was part of GEF’s initiative to provide financial support and capacity building to more than 144 countries with GEF operational focal point offices.
He explained that in Africa, the Tropical Biology Association was leading the programme in 25 countries, while the African Wildlife Foundation was organizing similar training in 29 other countries.
“This training is essentially to strengthen project oversight, which is critical to effective implementation,” David said.
He commended the GEF for its efforts to address biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution, as well as its continued support for environmental sustainability in Nigeria.
