Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its strong commitment to global biodiversity conservation under the Kumming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (F-M GBF) which formally validated the country’s revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) for the 2025–2030 period.
The Honourable Minister of Environment Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal stated this at the NBSAP Validation Workshop held on Wednesday in Abuja. The Honourable Minister of Environment was represented by Dr. Ameh Moses, Director of the Forestry Department who emphasized the critical importance of aligning national biodiversity strategies with international commitments.
His words: “In 2022, Nigeria played a pivotal role in negotiating the Global Biodiversity Framework in Montreal. Many of our priorities were successfully integrated into the final agreement. Now, we must match that leadership with determined national implementation,”.
Accoeding to him, the updated NBSAP is a comprehensive and ambitious roadmap that includes 23 national targets aligned with global biodiversity goals, aiming to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2He highlighted Target 1 as particularly transformative: “By 2030, all areas are effectively managed to bring loss of areas of high biodiversity importance close to zero.”
“Our ecosystems are fundamental to food security, health, water availability, and climate resilience,” Dr. Moses noted. “The well-being of all Nigerians depends on the health of our environment.”
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Adam Kambari, in his welcome remarks, hailed the validation workshop as a critical milestone in Nigeria’s environmental governance.
“This is more than a document. It is a call to action. Biodiversity is the bedrock of our economy and our cultural heritage. This plan reflects our shared vision and resolve to build a resilient and ecologically sustainable Nigeria,” Kambari said.
He urged participants, including policymakers, environmental experts, civil society actors, and development partners to actively contribute to shaping the plan into actionable policies that balance conservation with national development goals.
The revised NBSAP was developed with input from a broad spectrum of stakeholders across government, civil society, and academia, following a whole-of-society approach. According to the concept note presented by Sikeade Egbuwalo, Nigeria’s National Focal Point to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the plan is rooted in national realities and represents a whole-of-government policy direction.
“The updated NBSAP is not only a national obligation under the CBD but a strategic tool to secure our land- and seascapes for future generations,” the concept note reads.
As Nigeria embarks on the implementation phase of the 2025–2030 NBSAP, the Federal Government has called on all stakeholders to demonstrate collective will and persistent effort in translating strategy into measurable outcomes.
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