By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) has launched the first phase of its large-scale land restoration project across 11 frontline states affected by desertification in Northern Nigeria. The initiative is aimed at rehabilitating degraded lands and boosting climate resilience in vulnerable regions.
The Director-General of NAGGW, Alhaji Saleh Abubakar, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Jigawa State Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Nura Ibrahim Kazaure, at the State Secretariat in Dutse.
Alhaji Abubakar said the visit marked the beginning of a high-level advocacy engagement, which aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The initiative targets macroeconomic stability, human capital development, and poverty alleviation through environmental sustainability.
“This first phase of our campaign is focused on reinforcing our collaboration with frontline states, assessing ongoing interventions, and identifying new opportunities for sustainable land management,” the DG stated.
He emphasized Jigawa’s strategic importance to the project, noting the state’s longstanding partnership with the agency.
“Our presence here is not just symbolic—it’s to appreciate Jigawa State for its continued support, especially in providing land for planting and regeneration activities under the Great Green Wall initiative.”
In response, Dr. Nura Ibrahim Kazaure expressed gratitude for the agency’s recognition of Jigawa State as the first stop for its advocacy tour. He reiterated the state’s commitment to partnering with NAGGW to address desertification in line with Governor Umar Namadi’s 12-Point Development Agenda.
Dr. Kazaure also urged the agency to explore new strategies to prevent vandalism of its projects at the community level. He suggested stronger community engagement and deeper collaboration with the state government as ways to safeguard ongoing and future interventions.
As part of the visit, the NAGGW delegation toured Suleiman Farms to inspect the progress of date palm seedlings being cultivated under the agency’s flagship program to plant five million date palm trees across the 11 states.
The campaign is a key component of President Tinubu’s broader environmental and economic plan, which aims to address ecological degradation while creating jobs and improving livelihoods in affected communities.
The visit to Jigawa forms part of a wider outreach by NAGGW to foster partnerships, drive stakeholder participation, and promote sustainable environmental practices in the fight against land degradation and desertification.