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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
At the national launch of the Environment Club and Environment Society on Friday at the State House, Abuja, the First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, emphatically called on Nigerian youth to lead the country’s crusade for environmental sustainability.
Opening with a warm tribute to the inspiring contributions of young voices, the First Lady singled out Esther Abraham, a Senior Secondary 3 student from Government Senior Secondary School, Mabushi, for her moving poem on the environment. “From Esther, I see the passion and the love. When she recited, I saw a woman in love with the environment. It was like a message of love,” Mrs. Tinubu said. “I look forward to working with you all in the future, by the grace of God.”
She unveiled membership kits to selected representatives of both clubs and highlighted the importance of practical tools for their mission, stating, “We are going to give you your membership card, a handbook and your working tools—to the glory of God and the benefit of humanity.”
The First Lady reflected on her own lifelong connection to nature, sharing, “I am a biologist professionally. I studied educational biology, and my love for plants inspired me in my studies. Teaching environmental sanitation in Lagos was part of my early work, and I believe young people are the right ambassadors to drive this programme we launch today.”
She outlined the initiative’s goals: “The Environment Club and The Environment Society will develop young Nigerians committed to environmental preservation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable resource use. These clubs cultivate a national mindset prioritizing ecological responsibility, alternative livelihoods, and entrepreneurship opportunities for our youth.”
Her rallying motto resonated throughout the hall: “Go Green Today for a Greener Tomorrow captures the spirit of sustainability and collective responsibility.”
She described the crucial work students will lead: “Members of the Environment Club will keep their schools and communities clean, promote recycling, plant trees, and discourage plastics. They will become young champions of climate awareness, inspiring peers and families to take action. The Environment Society in tertiary institutions will lead clean-ups along shorelines and beaches, participate in reforestation, and conduct advocacy on sustainable practices.”
Reiterating the alignment with the administration’s broader vision, she said, “This initiative aligns closely with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, prioritising sustainability, inclusive growth, and youth empowerment.”
The First Lady praised Minister of Environment Balarabe Lawal and his team for their dedication: “I commend the Honourable Minister of Environment and the entire team for their commitment to this vision. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and young people, if there’s anything you want me to do, my office is open.”
Mrs Tinubu also encouraged the support of other officials by governors wives saying: “When your commissioners come up, please support them. Let soft power support them.”
She hailed teachers, principals, and university administrators as mentors crucial to the lasting impact of the clubs and societies.
With a call to states to establish chapters nationwide, she exhorted students: “You are the key champions of this cause. Take pride in your environment. Be creative, be bold, and lead with purpose. Remember, the future is green if we make it so.”
Ending with a formal inauguration, the First Lady declared, “I hereby officially launch the Environment Club Nigeria and the Environment Society Nigeria, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Environment and State Commissioners of Environment, to the glory of God and the benefit of mankind.”
Minister of Environment, Lawal, earlier reiterated Nigeria’s urgent environmental challenges and the key role of youth in solving them.
“Nigeria faces a severe waste management crisis driven by inadequate infrastructure, weak enforcement, and negative attitudes toward proper waste disposal,” he said. “This has led to rampant pollution, serious public health risks, and environmental degradation.”
He stressed the need for widespread environmental education: “A key factor is limited access to structured education, especially among young people. Awareness remains low, and unsustainable habits like indiscriminate littering and open burning persist.”
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Describing the clubs’ mission, he explained, “We focus on advocacy, climate change adaptation, circular economy practices, disaster risk reduction, and natural resource management. This initiative will drive awareness, community projects, and groom young leaders for Africa’s waste goals.”
Minister Lawal detailed objectives, activities, and a leadership structure designed to empower youth as agents of positive environmental change, promising support through uniforms, tools, and logistical backing.
He closed with a call to collective action: “Let us work assiduously toward the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President, focusing on a clean and sustainable future.”
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Elsie Attafuah, affirmed the global community’s support for Nigeria’s environmental agenda and the crucial role of young people.
Attafuah said, “Today is a truly inspiring day. We are not just launching clubs. We are launching a movement. A movement led by young people, powered by their ideas, their energy, and their imagination.”
She commended the leadership behind the initiative, telling the First Lady, “Allow me to extend warm congratulations to you for championing a vision that places both our planet and our young people at the center of national development. There is profound leadership, and the United Nations Development Programme, and by extension, the United Nations family, is honoured to stand with you.”
Attafuah highlighted the urgency of environmental challenges globally: “Across the world, climate change is reshaping how we live. Floods, heat waves, food systems disruptions, polluted air, plastics, disappearing species. That is what we face today. It is one of the most complex development challenges of all times—environmental issues.”
However, she noted a different, hopeful message emerging from Nigeria: “Young Nigerians are not waiting. You are stepping forward to lead solutions. That is what it takes. And that is why these environmental clubs and societies are so important.”
Defining the clubs’ transformative potential, she said, “These clubs will not merely be groups in our schools. They will be innovation hubs, places where we can turn plastic waste into useful products, design clean energy ideas, plant trees and nurture green campuses, run climate awareness campaigns, and use technology to solve environmental challenges.”
Attafuah shared exciting support mechanisms: “With the support of the federal government, we are establishing what we are calling university courts—places where young Nigerians can turn ideas into prototypes, prototypes into businesses, and businesses into industries. These spaces will be open to you to utilize very boldly and very smartly.”
Further underscoring UNDP’s role, she assured, “We invite students across Nigeria to work in teams within your clubs, to imagine and design solutions not only to today’s environmental challenges but to the future of development—green jobs, settled economies, clean technologies, and resilient communities. We look forward to joining you in showcasing the real and the best ideas that will come out of this innovative challenge.”
Attafuah concluded with a call to action: “Young people here, your creativity is bold. Your voices are powerful. And your leadership begins now. Nigeria’s environmental future will not be shaped only by policies. It will be shaped by you, your choices, your projects, your innovations, and the heart which you challenge tools, farming, and neighborhoods.”
She urged the gathering to “Imagine a Nigeria where every school is a green school, where students are climate innovators, where protecting the environment becomes part of our daily life. This movement starts with us all today. It starts today.”
Attafuah reiterated UNDP’s commitment: “Through our integrated Smart State Programme, where we are supporting state governments, we also stand ready to support the offices of the First Ladies and champions of environmental education, climate resilience, and youth empowerment across the states.”
“To our young people, again, your ideas are powerful. Your actions are important. Your leadership is needed. And it begins now.”
