By Danjuma Amodu | February 2, 2026
Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, and Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, represented the country at the Middle East Green Initiative (MGI) Executive Committee Meeting in Saudi Arabia.
The meeting, held on January 28-29, 2026, at the Hilton Hotel in Jeddah, aimed to review and endorse draft decisions for the Second MGI Ministerial Council meeting.
The MGI, comprising 30 member countries including Nigeria, targets planting 50 billion trees and restoring 200 million hectares of degraded land.
The Executive Committee Meeting discussed key issues, including the rotational chairpersonship methodology, work plan, budget, capacity building, and technical research.
HYPREP has made significant progress in mangrove restoration, planting 1,537,885 seedlings to restore 560 hectares of oil-degraded mangroves in Ogoni. The project has also launched its second phase, covering 438 hectares, and has mapped over 3,000 hectares of oil-degraded mangroves for restoration.
The first phase of the project is 93% complete, with over 1.3 million multi-species mangrove seedlings planted, creating over 600 direct jobs for Ogoni youth and women. The restoration efforts have led to the return of key aquatic species such as crabs, shrimps, and oysters. HYPREP has also launched a clean cookstove pilot initiative and is advocating for the restored mangroves to be declared a Ramsar Site.
The project has generated over 7,000 direct jobs, supporting peacebuilding and improving regional human development indicators. HYPREP plans to expand its water access initiative, having already provided clean water to 30 Ogoni communities, with plans to cover an additional 60 settlements in 2025.
HYPREP’s efforts align with the MGI and Africa initiatives, aiming to restore degraded land and promote environmental sustainability.
The project’s focus on mangrove restoration and community engagement contributes to the MGI’s goal of planting 50 billion trees and restoring 200 million hectares of degraded land.
