Key points
- The Federal Government has approved the relocation of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) operational headquarters from Abuja to Kano.
- The move is aimed at improving project monitoring, coordination and service delivery across frontline states affected by desertification and climate change.
- The agency says it has recorded significant achievements, including the establishment of over 100 shelterbelts and 159 solar- and wind-powered boreholes since inception.
Main story
The Federal Government has approved the relocation of the Operational Headquarters of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) from Abuja to Kano State in a move aimed at enhancing the agency’s operational efficiency and strengthening environmental interventions in Northern Nigeria.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja, noting that the headquarters will be moved to the Afforestation Programme Coordinating Unit (APCU) office complex in Kano.
According to the minister, the decision aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and is intended to improve the implementation of the Great Green Wall Programme across Nigeria’s frontline states.
The Great Green Wall Programme is an initiative of the African Union involving more than 11 member countries. It is designed to combat desertification, land degradation and the growing impacts of climate change across the Sahel-Sahara region.
In Nigeria, the programme targets 11 frontline states, namely Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.
Lawal explained that the agency’s mandate includes establishing a 15-kilometre-wide and 1,500-kilometre-long Green Wall belt across affected areas to promote environmental sustainability, improve food security, mitigate climate change impacts and reduce rural poverty.
He noted that since the programme was launched in 2013 and upgraded to a full-fledged agency in 2015, notable milestones had been achieved.
These include the establishment of more than 100 shelterbelts, the construction of about 159 solar- and wind-powered boreholes to improve water access, the engagement of 600 youths as forest guards, and the development of 240 hectares of community orchards and woodlots to enhance livelihoods and support poverty reduction efforts.
The minister said the relocation would address challenges associated with operating from a temporary rented office in Abuja, which is geographically distant from the agency’s primary areas of intervention.
“By moving to a permanent location in Kano, a central hub within the operational zone, the agency will achieve better monitoring, stronger coordination with state governments, local authorities and host communities, as well as more efficient service delivery,” he stated.
Lawal further explained that Kano hosts the APCU facility, a federal government establishment created in 1988. The facility has remained largely underutilised since the completion of the World Bank-supported Arid Zone Afforestation Programme in 1996 and now offers suitable permanent accommodation for the agency.
He emphasised that the relocation is consistent with the Federal Government’s policy of positioning agencies closer to their operational areas to improve efficiency and bring governance closer to citizens.
The minister expressed optimism that the move would strengthen the implementation of one of the country’s most critical environmental programmes and improve outcomes for millions of people living in vulnerable communities across Northern Nigeria.
The issues
Nigeria’s northern region continues to face increasing threats from desert encroachment, land degradation, deforestation and climate change, all of which affect agricultural productivity, water availability and livelihoods. Effective implementation of the Great Green Wall Programme is seen as critical to addressing these environmental and socio-economic challenges.
What’s being said
The Federal Government says relocating the agency closer to project locations will improve oversight, coordination and stakeholder engagement, leading to more impactful implementation of environmental restoration programmes.
Officials also maintain that the move reflects a broader governance strategy of decentralising operations and positioning institutions where they can deliver maximum value.
What’s next
The agency is expected to commence operations from its new headquarters in Kano following the relocation process. Stakeholders anticipate improved project monitoring, faster decision-making and stronger collaboration with state governments and local communities in the affected regions.
Bottom line
The relocation of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall headquarters to Kano signals the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening climate resilience and environmental restoration efforts in Northern Nigeria by positioning the agency closer to the communities it serves.
%20...){kind=link}