The Borno State Government, in collaboration with a coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), on Friday urged stakeholders and residents to prioritise climate change mitigation in their daily activities.
The call was made during a road walk in Maiduguri to mark the 2025 Global Week for Action on Climate Justice. The event, themed “Youth Climate Justice March,” is held annually to highlight pressing climate-related challenges such as flooding, desertification, land degradation, and food insecurity across the country.
Speaking at the march, Usman Aliyu, Director General of the Borno State Agency for the Great Green Wall, called on governments and citizens to embrace a just transition toward climate action, including climate financing, adaptation strategies, and environmental accountability.
According to him, “The first step is what we began today—creating awareness and telling people what we are facing. All of us are sweating; this is a sign of global warming, and it shows the impact of climate change.”
Aliyu further stressed the importance of tree planting in tackling environmental challenges.
“So, I am planning to intensify awareness on the importance of planting and protecting trees, and how they can help mitigate issues such as ozone depletion, global warming, and desert encroachment,” he said.
He added that afforestation would also reduce temperature, prevent disease outbreaks, provide a microclimate, boost agriculture, secure food systems, and help combat malnutrition.
“My plan now, after creating awareness, is to embark on massive afforestation. We have already started by planting trees in numerous places and distributing seedlings to residents. We want everybody to plant and protect trees in Borno,” he said.
Also speaking, Sadiq Abubakar, Executive Director of the Centre for Advocacy, Transparency and Accountability Initiative (CATAI), urged both governments and citizens to prioritize climate action through adequate budgeting, responsible use of water and electricity, proper waste management, and maintaining a clean environment.
“Today, we commemorate the Global Week for Action on Climate Justice, a time to raise awareness of climate issues worldwide. We have seen unprecedented flooding, rising food insecurity, and other disasters, largely due to years of ignoring climate issues. We call on governments and citizens to take action for a just transition in climate policy,” Abubakar said.
He added: “Climate justice is the foundation of real solutions. For Nigeria, this means ending decades of gas flaring that have poisoned communities and destroyed ecosystems. It means shifting billions away from fossil fuels into clean renewable energy and making real investments in agroecology. It also means investing in mitigation and adaptation measures that directly support frontline communities, because protecting people is at the heart of protecting the planet.”
The road walk featured placards with messages such as: “Prioritize agroecology in state budgets,” “Climate adaptation is not charity, it’s justice,” “Nigeria can’t achieve sustainable development without climate resilience,” and “Hold polluters responsible.”
The event was supported by ActionAid Nigeria and partners under the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA II) project, which organized the street walk as part of the Global Week of Climate Action.
