By Abigael Joshua
The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) has called on Nigerians to engage in massive tree planting to combat desertification, land degradation and worsening impacts of climate change.
Mr Saleh Abubakar, the Director-General of NAGGW, made the call at an event to mark the 2026 World Environment Day.
Abubakar said that tree planting aligns with the massive environmental drive of the administration of President Bola Tinubu to combat desertification, land degradation, and climate change.
He said that trees help reverse land degradation, halt desert encroachment, and protect soils from severe erosion.
“World Environment Day is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of environment,” he said.
He also urged Nigerians to participate in environmental stewardship by adopting sustainable practices in their local communities.
“NAGGW will continue to redouble efforts towards tree planting, agroforestry, and empowering local communities in Nigeria’s frontline states to build climate resilience,” he said.
Restoring degraded landscapes, he said, is not just an ecological mission but a way to secure food, generate income and foster sustainable livelihoods for Nigerians.
He said that restoration of degraded landscapes were done mainly in the 11 front line states of Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Zamafara, Sokoto, Kebbi States and Yobe.
He recalled that as part of efforts to ensure the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, the agency, in 2025, launched a strategic nationwide campaign.
“This campaign fostered the planting of 50 million date palm seedlings across 11 frontline states to fight desertification, create green jobs and boost the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Planting fruit trees, such as dates, not only reclaims the land but also boosts local economies and supplements household nutrition.
“This aligns with an ambitious campaign aimed at planting billions of indigenous trees to preserve native biodiversity across the country,” he said.
Abubakar said that trees naturally absorb carbon dioxide emissions and release oxygen, helping to neutralise the impact of greenhouse gases.
“This is also essential for states fighting dryland degradation and advancing Sahara desert encroachment,” he added.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza
