Lawal says accurate data and tree planting are key to reversing land degradation as Nigeria strengthens UNCCD reporting
BY DANJUMA AMODU
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has inaugurated a technical committee to improve the accuracy of Nigeria’s reporting on land degradation under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
According to a press statement issued by Ogunjobi Matthew Olusegun, Senior Information Officer in the Ministry’s Press and Public Relations Unit, Lawal said the committee’s work was critical to preventing further land degradation. He stressed that land must be preserved not only for infrastructure but also for food production.
“Our land is not only for infrastructural development but for the cultivation of food. If it is degraded, the consequences could be disastrous.”
— Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Minister of Environment
The committee is tasked with providing reliable and workable data to guide efforts to mitigate land degradation and restore affected areas. Lawal urged members to work closely with environmental stakeholders, agencies and departments to recover degraded land and ensure reporting meets international standards.
He added that promoting alternative cooking methods and increasing tree planting were key measures to reduce deforestation and slow land degradation.
Describing the selection process as rigorous, the minister said the committee’s role was central to Nigeria’s land recovery agenda and called on members to be committed and resolute in delivering on their mandate.
In her opening remarks, the Director of Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought Management, Mrs Regina Nwaneri, said the inauguration marked a significant step in Nigeria’s commitment to meeting its obligations under the UNCCD.
She noted that the reporting process was more than a statutory requirement, adding that it provided an opportunity to highlight Nigeria’s progress, challenges and interventions in sustainable land management and ecosystem restoration.
“The assignment before this committee is of great importance. Your expertise, dedication and collaborative efforts will be instrumental in ensuring the delivery of a credible, comprehensive and timely national report that reflects the true state of implementation in Nigeria,” Nwaneri said.
She thanked the institutions represented on the committee for their continued support and urged members to work together in a spirit of professionalism, partnership and shared responsibility.
