Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has called on the media to take a more active role in confronting the country’s growing environmental challenges, stressing that responsible reporting and public awareness are crucial to safeguarding Nigeria’s ecological future.
Speaking on Wednesday, 1 April, 2026, at a media engagement workshop held in Abuja, Lawal described journalists and digital communicators as strategic partners in the national effort to address climate change, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss.
He noted that the media, widely recognised as the Fourth Estate of the realm, plays a critical role in shaping public understanding of environmental issues at a time when the country faces mounting ecological pressures.
“The environment is not an abstract concept. It is the air we breathe, the land that feeds us, the rivers that sustain communities, and the climate that shapes the future,” the Minister said.
Lawal highlighted a range of environmental threats confronting Nigeria, including desertification spreading across northern regions, severe flooding and erosion in the South-East and South-South, oil pollution and gas flaring in the Niger Delta, widespread deforestation, and the growing impacts of climate change on livelihoods and food security.
He explained that under the leadership of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Ministry of Environment has intensified efforts to promote environmental sustainability while supporting economic development.
According to him, government initiatives in 2025, including the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, restored more than 1.14 million hectares of degraded land and facilitated the planting of over 1.5 million trees across Nigeria.
“These achievements demonstrate our national commitment to building a cleaner, greener, and more resilient Nigeria,” he said.
The Minister, however, stressed that greater media attention is required to elevate environmental reporting in the country. He observed that environmental issues are often treated as secondary despite their direct impact on agriculture, public health, and economic stability.
He urged journalists to adopt more data-driven and solutions-oriented reporting approaches that highlight both environmental challenges and innovative responses to them.
Lawal also encouraged media professionals to take advantage of digital and social media platforms to engage Nigeria’s youthful population and amplify awareness about climate action and environmental protection.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the media through improved access to environmental data, field activities, and information resources to support effective reporting.
“Future generations deserve a Nigeria where the air is clean, forests thrive, rivers run pure, and the land remains productive,” he said.
Lawal added that the stories told by journalists today have the power to shape public behaviour, influence policies, and inspire collective action needed to secure Nigeria’s environmental future.
