Minister of Environment Calls for Accelerated Green Economy Transition at NESt 2026
The Honourable Minister of Environment, Mallam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to environmental sustainability and climate resilience, describing them as critical pillars of Nigeria’s national development agenda.
Speaking at the Nigerian Environmental Summit (NESt) 2026 held on 17 June 2026 at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, the Minister emphasized the theme, “Unlocking Nigeria’s Green Economy: Driving Climate Action and Environmental Governance,” as a timely call to action for sustainable economic growth and environmental protection.
He noted that Nigeria possesses significant opportunities within the green economy, including renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste-to-wealth initiatives, ecosystem restoration, carbon markets, climate-smart infrastructure, and green entrepreneurship. According to him, harnessing these opportunities can drive economic diversification, create jobs, attract investments, and strengthen community resilience.
The Minister also highlighted the environmental challenges facing the country, including climate change, flooding, desertification, biodiversity loss, pollution, and poor waste management, stressing that these challenges present opportunities for innovation and transformative action.
He reiterated the commitment of the Federal Ministry of Environment to strengthening environmental governance through policy reforms, regulatory enforcement, stakeholder engagement, and strategic partnerships.
Mallam Lawal further called for increased investment in green finance, public-private partnerships, climate funds, carbon markets, and other innovative financing mechanisms to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a sustainable and climate-resilient economy.
He commended the Nigerian Environmental Summit Group (NESUG), development partners, the private sector, academia, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders for their contributions to advancing Nigeria’s environmental agenda.
The Minister urged participants to focus on practical, scalable, and inclusive solutions that will translate the Summit’s deliberations into measurable actions and lasting environmental impact, while reaffirming the Federal Ministry of Environment’s commitment to supporting the implementation of the Summit’s outcomes
