Nigeria has taken a major step toward integrating women into environmental governance and climate action with the validation of the Green Women Platform (GWP) — a national initiative designed to empower women as leaders in the fight against land degradation, desertification, and climate change.
The two-day validation workshop, held from October 28–29, 2025, in Abuja, brought together key stakeholders from government, civil society, academia, and international organizations, including the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Pan-African Great Green Wall Agency (PAGGW).
Delivering the keynote address, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, the minister of Environment, represented by Agnes Aneke, director planning, research and statistics said the initiative marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental and gender inclusion agenda.
He noted that the Green Women Platform was not just a program but “a movement for empowerment, advocacy, and transformation.”
“Through this platform, women will not only have a voice in governance and decision-making around land use, natural resources, and climate action, but they will also gain access to economic opportunities in reforestation, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and green enterprises,” he stated.
The minister emphasised that women were central to Nigeria’s efforts to restore degraded lands and strengthen community resilience under the Great Green Wall Initiative, adding that the GWP aligns with global frameworks such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He further noted that the platform would advance SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 13 on climate action, and SDG 15 on life on land, while creating livelihoods that contribute to SDG 1 on ending poverty.
“The validation of this platform must not be seen as another routine exercise. It must mark the beginning of concrete actions that restore degraded lands, create jobs, empower women and youth, and build resilient communities,” the Minister added.
In his opening remarks, Mahmud Adams Kambari, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment who was also represented by Agnes Aneke, said the initiative demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring that women are not left behind in the country’s environmental and climate change response.
“Women bear the most significant burden of environmental degradation, yet they are also the most potent agents of resilience and adaptation,” she said, noting that the workshop aimed to validate the structural framework and governance arrangements for a two-year national action plan.
She commended the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), the Office of the First Lady, and development partners for their collaboration and support.
Saleh Abubakar, director general of the NAGGW, in his welcome address, described the Green Women Platform as “a unique innovation designed to place women at the center of the fight against desertification, land degradation, and climate change.”
“Here in Nigeria, women are not only custodians of the land but also agents of transformation within their communities,” he said, urging participants to work collectively toward building a strong and inclusive platform that empowers women to restore degraded lands and build sustainable livelihoods.
Representing the executive secretary of the Pan-African Great Green Wall Agency, Almoustapha Garba, a PAGGW delegate commended Nigeria’s leadership and commitment to implementing the Great Green Wall vision.
Read also: Governor Mbah inaugurates 29 member Climate Action Committee
“The Women’s Green Platform, initiated in 2018, was designed to federate and harmonize the multiple actions of women across Africa. Nigeria’s validation of this platform is a key step in ensuring women’s full and effective participation in local governance and access to natural resources,” he stated.
He recalled that the Green Women’s Platform process began with a regional scoping study and the establishment of a regional framework in April 2024 in Bamako, leading to national-level adoption in member states including Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Mali, and Mauritania.
Supported by the World Food Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the initiative seeks to enhance women’s leadership in climate governance and ensure their representation in community-level decision-making.
The workshop concluded with a renewed commitment from all partners to operationalise the Green Women Platform, ensuring that Nigerian women move from the margins to the forefront of environmental restoration and climate resilience.
