FG Release Roadmap for Mangrove Conservation and Protection
The Federal Government has disclosed an ongoing plan to develop a roadmap for the country’s conservation and protection of mangroves.
Speaking at a parley with journalists in Abuja, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat, Dr Nkiruka Maduekwe, said a roadmap outlining key priorities for Nigeria in mangrove conservation, reforestation, afforestation, and protection is in the offing.
Maduekwe, also the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change, explained that the roadmap aligns with the mangrove breakthrough initiative launched at COP27 and the Secretariat’s 2025 theme to amplify nature-based climate solutions.
She explained that the roadmap will also focus on identifying the necessary actions, setting clear goals, and developing a strategic investment plan to ensure effective implementation and long-term sustainability of environmental initiatives.
She noted that the world has identified that mangroves are essential because you are talking about livelihood, coastal resilience, improving the livelihoods of the community members, and amplifying nature-based climate solutions. “We’re starting with the mangrove technical site visits to the nine states in the Niger Delta because we’re talking about coastal resilience,” she revealed.
Maduekwe said: “We are going to the mangroves to see for ourselves what the status is and what we need to do as a country to further strengthen our adaptation in that area. One of the things that is going to come out from the technical visit is the roadmap. We’re developing a roadmap for the country’s mangrove conservation and protection.
“As part of the technical site visit, we’re having a town hall meeting in Calabar, Cross River State. Significantly, Cross River is the first state to have adopted the climate change law and has a green economy commission. We found it important to have the town hall meeting in the first state that has been able to warehouse the Climate Change Act. So, we’re having a town hall meeting on February 4th this year.”
She said that the town hall meeting will bring together teams from various states, including Commissioners of Environment, international partners, and stakeholders, to discuss the challenges and opportunities for financing mangrove conservation and protection in Nigeria while focusing on identifying grant opportunities.
She added: “The mangrove site visit and the town hall meeting are part of our preparatory efforts towards the event we’re having in March in Lagos State, which is a symposium on the intersection between arts, climate change, and the mangroves and then have the art exhibition on March 5th.
“When you’re talking about the Arts day and the environmental day, our focus is working with all stakeholders to focus on planting trees. We know that Nigeria is dealing with an accelerated reduction of our forest cover, so planting trees will enforce that as well, and that is also part of the nature-based climate solution.”
She said the mangrove breakthrough initiative aims to raise $4bn in sustainable finance, focusing on mangrove conservation, afforestation, and protection. She added that Nigeria is aiming to be part of that $4bn, and that’s why we’re having the roadmap. One of the challenges we have identified about mangrove afforestation, conservation, and protection is the absence of a policy document.
“Recently, Indonesia received finance from the World Bank to develop and do mangrove conservation, but that’s a loan. I’m looking at how Nigeria can warehouse climate finance grants, so Nigeria must have a strategy document, and that’s what that roadmap is about.”
