Nigeria has officially validated the Revised National Drought and Desertification Policy, reaffirming its commitment to tackling worsening environmental degradation and climate-related challenges.
Declaring open the Stakeholders’ Validation Workshop in Abuja, the Minister of Environment, Mr. Balarabe Lawal, said the exercise marks a defining moment in ensuring that Nigeria’s framework for addressing desertification, land degradation, and drought is realistic, inclusive, and responsive to present and future challenges.
The Minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Mahmud Kambari, explained that the validation process goes beyond formal approval, offering stakeholders the opportunity to critically assess the policy’s objectives, strategies, and implementation mechanisms.
“I therefore encourage you to engage actively in the technical sessions, working groups, and discussions share your experiences and propose practical solutions. Approach this validation process with openness, professionalism, and a common purpose. The quality of our engagement here will directly influence the strength and relevance of the final policy document,” he explained
Draft Policy
He disclosed that the draft policy resulted from a comprehensive review that began on July 2, 2025, involving stakeholders from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, and was informed by evolving climate risks, population growth, land-use pressures, and changing socio-economic dynamics.
According to him, “the policy must reflect Nigeria’s diverse ecological zones and promote coordination across key sectors such as agriculture, water resources, environment, energy, and rural development, while clearly defining roles, financing options, and monitoring frameworks.”
The Minister assured participants that the validated policy would not be shelved, stressing that the Federal Government would provide leadership to translate it into concrete action through strong partnerships with the private sector, civil society, research institutions, development partners, and local communities.
He noted that drought and desertification affect millions of Nigerians, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, with serious consequences for agriculture, water availability, food security, biodiversity, and socio-economic stability, worsened by climate change.
Director of the Department of Desertification and Drought in the Ministry, Mrs. Regina Nwaneri, said the existing policy developed in 2007 no longer reflects present realities, noting that “climate change, environmental degradation, and new global commitments have created urgent gaps.”
She explained that while the old policy focused on 11 frontline states, land degradation has now become a national issue affecting all 36 states and the FCT.
Mrs. Nwaneri identified climate change and sand and dust storms as major emerging concerns, explaining that these storms strip away up to 30 centimetres of nutrient-rich topsoil essential for crop production.
Action Plan
Mrs Nwaneri, assured stakeholders that the revised policy would be followed by an action plan to guide implementation, with existing efforts scaled up to meet current and future challenges.
Speaking on behalf of the National Project Coordinator of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, Mr. Musa Shaibu reaffirmed ACReSAL’s commitment to working with stakeholders to operationalise the policy towards achieving Nigeria’s environmental, Land restoration and climate resilience ambitions.
“As important as today’s validation is its success will be meby how effectively we translate policy into coordinated action on ground the ground. Tackling drought and desertification requires robust partnerships across government department partners, civil society the private sector and local communities.” he added
FAO Representative in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Dr. Hussein Gadain, represented by Mr. Precious Agbesor, described drought and desertification as among Nigeria’s most pressing environmental and development challenges, calling for inclusive, climate-responsive policies rooted in national and local realities.
He reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to supporting implementation, noting that the policy aligns with Nigeria’s obligations under the UNCCD and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDGs 1, 2, 13, and 15.
“Drought and desertification remain among the most pressing environmental and development challenges facing Nigeria, addressing these challenges therefore requires strong policies that are inclusive, forward‑looking, climate‑responsive, and firmly rooted in national and local realities.” he said
The updated policy also aligns with Land Degradation Neutrality targets, reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable land management.
The event was organised by the Department of Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought Management of the Federal Ministry of Environment, with support from the ACReSAL project.