In the lush, riverine region of the oil-rich South-South geo-political zone, where natural beauty is matched only by the environmental challenges that threaten it, a quiet revolution is underway. Fronted by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), this movement is not driven by protests or policy debates, but by about awareness, education, and the power of community engagement.
In the last two years, the NOA has been repositioning itself as a vital player in the country’s green future, using its staggering grassroots network to bring environmental issues to the heart of local conversations.
The push began with a strategic partnership between NOA and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA). In October last year, the two agencies pledged to collaborate on educating Nigerians about key environmental policies, ranging from plastic pollution and wildlife protection to broader climate change concerns.
“Our people don’t even know about the ban on plastics,” Lanre Issa-Onilu, NOA Director-General, lamented during the partnership announcement in Abuja. “This ignorance puts the environment at risk. We need a nationwide education effort to change this.”
That partnership has since galvanized local NOA offices across the South-South to ramp up public outreach. Through community meetings, radio programmes and school-based campaigns, the agency is filling an information void that has long hampered environmental progress in Nigeria.
Environmental awareness, the agency is convinced, is not a luxury, but a necessity, especially when it directly impacts public health. In Akwa Ibom State, as intense heatwaves swept across the region earlier this year, the NOA issued urgent advisories. The state director, Mr. Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, urged residents to stay hydrated, avoid the sun during peak hours, and keep an eye on vulnerable populations such as the elderly and children.
The agency didn’t stop at heat warnings. It also launched a statewide campaign against diseases like cholera, Lassa fever, and meningitis, all of which are exacerbated by poor sanitation and climate change.
“This is about protecting lives,” Mkpoutom said. “We’re urging hand hygiene, boiling drinking water, and vaccinations. Prevention starts with knowledge.”
In Bayelsa State, where a cholera outbreak had health officials scrambling, NOA state director, Mrs. Grace Olobio, mobilized a rapid response team to spread vital health information.
“Cholera is a preventable disease,” Olobio said during one of the agency’s community visits. “If people understand the importance of clean water and safe food, we can reduce these outbreaks significantly.”
Even as NOA embraces digital tools to engage Nigeria’s increasingly online population, it has not abandoned its roots in community mobilization. The agency’s “Mobiliser” app and AI chatbot “CLHEEAN” are examples of how it is using technology to bridge the gap between government policies and everyday citizens.
“These tools help us connect with the 93% of Nigerians under 45,” Issa-Onilu explained at a management retreat last year. “This is not MAMSER-era Nigeria. We’re adapting to a new media landscape.”
Through these platforms, users can learn about environmental issues, report community problems, and access tailored content on climate change, sanitation, and sustainable practices, all from their smartphones.
Yet, the traditional methods still hold remain strong. NOA’s presence in all the 774 local government areas of the country allows it to hold town halls, engage religious and traditional leaders and influence behavior at the grassroots. The agency is particularly focused on encouraging responsible waste disposal, water conservation, and protection of natural habitats.
What the NOA is attempting is cultural reengineering, a shift in how Nigerians relate to their environment and to each other as citizens. This broader ambition is part of the National Identity Project (NIP), which includes a National Values Charter with “7 for 7” reciprocal commitments between citizens and the state. The NIP calls on Nigerians to not only expect better governance but to also take personal responsibility for the country’s well-being, including the environment.
“We’re building a new social contract,” said Issa-Onilu. “It’s about fostering patriotism through shared values, and environmental stewardship is a critical part of that.”
Despite its successes, the agency faces significant hurdles. Years of neglect have left its infrastructure outdated and its budget stretched thin. Issa-Onilu acknowledges these challenges but remains optimistic.
“We’ve retooled our systems and our personnel,” he said. “But we need more support to sustain and expand these programmes. Environmental education is not a one-off campaign; it must be continuous.”
Support from the National Assembly has been encouraging. Senator Kenneth Okonkwo, Chair of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, has called for NOA’s modernization to continue, including possible reforms to strengthen its legal framework.
With environmental degradation and climate-related disasters threatening Nigeria’s future, NOA’s work in the South-South is setting an example for the rest of the country. It is a model that blends old-school grassroots organizing with new-age digital innovation and it’s beginning to bear fruit.
From the creeks of Bayelsa State to the bustling markets of Uyo in Akwa Ibom Stae, the message is clear: environmental responsibility starts with awareness, and awareness begins at the grassroots.
“If we’re going to clean Nigeria of pollution, of disease, of apathy, it starts with knowledge. That’s what NOA is here to provide,” said the Director-General.