- FG Moves to Restore Degraded Lands Across Northern Nigeria
- Explained that the government is working to empower communities to sustainably manage natural resources
- A consultant with MECON Geology and Engineering Services, Chuka Offodile, explained that soil characteristics across the affected areas vary widely
The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening climate resilience and restoring degraded landscapes across Northern Nigeria, where millions of residents continue to face unreliable rainfall, deteriorating farmlands and shrinking water bodies.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, made the pledge in Abuja during the Appraisal and Validation Workshop for nine Strategic Catchment Management Plans (SCMPs). He described the environmental challenges affecting the region as urgent and far-reaching.
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According to the minister, the problems extend beyond environmental degradation, posing serious risks to food security, livelihoods and community stability.
“These are not abstract problems. They threaten the food on our tables, the income of farmers and herders, and the stability of our communities,” Lawal said.
He explained that the government is working to empower communities to sustainably manage natural resources, noting that the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes Project represents a strategic national response to environmental and climate challenges in northern Nigeria.
Lawal said the Federal Ministry of Environment Nigeria, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Nigeria, is leading the initiative. The Strategic Catchment Management Plans, he added, will serve as a roadmap for coordinated action.
According to him, the plans are designed to identify priority areas, mobilise resources and align interventions among stakeholders to ensure sustainable land and water management.
The minister revealed that 11 plans have already been endorsed, while nine others covering Malenda, Oshin-Oyi, Gurara-Gbako, Aloma-Konshisha, Benue-Mada, Sarkin-Pawa-Kaduna, Zungur-Gongola, Gaji-Lamurde and Hawul-Kilange are currently undergoing appraisal and validation.
“The plans are products of extensive consultations, expert analysis and inputs gathered during engagements held last year. They belong to the communities, states and institutions that live and work within these catchment areas,” he said.
Lawal urged participants at the workshop to take an active role in reviewing the plans to ensure they become practical and implementable tools for environmental restoration and sustainable development.
“These validated plans should serve as living instruments to guide investments, restore degraded lands and improve livelihoods across the region,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, the National Project Coordinator of the ACReSAL Project, Abdulhamid Umar, praised the World Bank for its technical support and continued commitment to the initiative.
Umar described the project as one of the most comprehensive landscape restoration efforts currently underway in the region.
He said the plans cut across several ACReSAL states, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, the Federal Capital Territory, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.
“These plans are more than technical documents. They reflect the voices and concerns expressed by communities during consultations last year,” Umar said.
He added that the plans identify major environmental challenges such as deforestation, soil erosion, shrinking water sources and overgrazed lands, while proposing practical, community-driven solutions.
In his remarks, a consultant with MECON Geology and Engineering Services, Chuka Offodile, explained that soil characteristics across the affected areas vary widely, which influences water storage capacity and irrigation potential.
According to him, several soil types in the region possess strong structural composition and high water-holding capacity, making them suitable for both rain-fed agriculture and supplementary irrigation systems with efficient moisture retention.
