The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the Embassy of Ethiopia in Nigeria and the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Youth Wing have launched a tree-planting initiative to promote environmental sustainability and strengthen Nigeria-Ethiopia relations.
The initiative, tagged the FCTA-Ethiopia Youth Tree Planting Initiative, was held under the theme “Youth United for a Greener FCT: Renewing Hope Through Tree Planting”.
The exercise brought together government officials, young leaders and diplomatic representatives in a demonstration of environmental responsibility and Pan-African cooperation.
Speaking on behalf of the FCT Minister, the Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, said the initiative was intended to promote sustained environmental protection rather than serve as a one-off exercise.
“Today, we are here to demonstrate Pan-Africanism. A seed grows into a tree, and a tree becomes a forest. The forest is the strength of Africa,” she said.
Fasawe described the initiative as a symbol of friendship between African countries and a shared commitment to sustainable development.
“It is more than an environmental activity; it is a meaningful symbol of Pan-African friendship, shared responsibility and our common commitment to building a greater and more sustainable continent,” she said.
She said the Directorate of Parks and Recreation would monitor the seedlings to ensure their survival and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the project.
According to her, the exercise is also part of the FCTA’s broader efforts to restore Abuja’s green spaces and preserve the city’s master plan.
Fasawe said tree-planting activities were being undertaken along major roads and other strategic locations across the FCT, including the University of Abuja axis and Ibrahim Babangida Way.
“As we continue to build these roads, we continue to also green the environment,” she said.
The Mandate Secretary said Africa’s response to climate change required practical action and collaboration among governments, institutions, communities and young people.
She added that initiatives such as the tree-planting exercise demonstrated that environmental action could begin at the community level rather than solely through international conferences and policy discussions.
The APC National Youth Leader, Dr Dayo Israel, described the initiative as an opportunity to promote youth diplomacy and strengthen Pan-African cooperation under the Plant Africa Fraternity initiative.
Israel said tree planting should be viewed not only as an environmental responsibility but also as an investment in Africa’s future.
“Every tree we plant today is more than an environmental gesture. It is a symbol of friendship between Nigeria and Ethiopia and a commitment to the future of Africa,” he said.
He stressed the need for African countries to work together to address common development challenges.
“Our continent’s future will not be secured by slogans; it will be secured by service, innovation, enterprise and cooperation. No tree becomes a forest by standing alone, and no African country can achieve its full potential in isolation,” Israel said.
He commended the FCTA and the Ethiopian Embassy for supporting the initiative and called for greater youth participation in environmental and diplomatic programmes.
The Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Legesse Geremew Haile, who was represented by the Embassy’s Minister-Counsellor for Political Affairs, Misgna Tekiu Abrha, described the initiative as a practical demonstration of South-South cooperation.
Abrha said closer cooperation between Nigeria and Ethiopia could contribute significantly to addressing shared challenges, particularly climate change and environmental degradation.
“This cooperation between Ethiopia and Nigeria is profound. If Nigeria and Ethiopia work together, we can say that automatically Africa works together,” he said.
He cited Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative, launched in 2019, as an example of the country’s commitment to environmental restoration, saying more than 48 billion trees had been planted towards a target of 50 billion by 2030.
Abrha said the Ethiopian Embassy was committed to strengthening relations with Nigeria through institutional, people-to-people and other forms of cooperation.
“We have to work together. We have to give African solutions to African problems. If we bring our potentials together, we can do a lot,” he said.
The tree-planting exercise took place along Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way, with further activities expected at the University of Abuja, the Nigerian Customs Service and other government institutions as part of the initiative.
