Stakeholders from government institutions, international organisations, and civil society groups gathered in Abuja for the launch workshop of the Net Zero Nature Positive (NZNP) Project—a major initiative focused on restoring degraded ecosystems, promoting green growth, and fast-tracking Nigeria’s journey toward a sustainable and climate-resilient future.

Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the project will be jointly implemented by the Federal Ministry of Environment, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The initiative will begin in Rivers and Bayelsa States as part of the global GEF-8 Integrated Programme, which seeks to promote development pathways that are both net-zero and nature-positive.

Speaking at the event on Monday organised by the ministry with support from development partners, the UNDP Resident Representative, Elsie Attafuah (represented by Deputy Resident Representative for Operations, Blessed Chirimuta), described the NZNP Project as an ambitious global effort to reshape Nigeria’s environmental future. She noted that the project is not merely a launch but part of a broader movement reflecting Nigeria’s resolve to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2060 and conserve 30 per cent of its land and marine ecosystems by 2030.

Attafuah highlighted that the Niger Delta, though on the frontlines of environmental and climate crises, remains rich in resilience and potential. Through the NZNP Project, UNDP and its partners aim to restore mangroves, wetlands, and biodiversity, while creating green jobs and empowering local communities—particularly women and youth—to take the lead in the shift toward sustainability.

She reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to working closely with the Federal Ministry of Environment, UNEP, state governments, and local communities to achieve tangible results that restore dignity to areas long affected by environmental degradation.

The NZNP Project, she added, is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s climate and green growth agenda, as well as Nigeria’s revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Energy Transition Plan.

Halima Bawa Bwari, Director of Forestry at the Federal Ministry of Environment, said at the launch of the project in Abuja that it signifies Nigeria’s determination to strike a crucial balance between environmental safeguarding and human development.

She stated that Nigeria is among 12 nations globally to first adopt the NZNP framework. This has placed Nigeria at the forefront when it comes to international climate and biodiversity initiatives.

“The project gives us a chance to confront climate change and biodiversity loss through one coordinated, transformative approach,” Bawa Bwari said.

“With assistance from GEF and UNDP, we are determined to create a model of sustainable development others can emulate,” she added.

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