The United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed has challenged Nigeria to turn the challenges of Climate Change into opportunities to progress.
Speaking at the Katsina State Climate Action and Green Investment Summit with theme: “Turning Climate Change Challenges into Development Opportunities for Katsina State,” Mohammed who was represented by UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall said the summit was a powerful demonstration of leadership and vision, noting that: “This gathering matters, because climate action is not just about managing risk. It’s about unlocking opportunity.”
She said: “For Katsina, for Nigeria, and for all of us, this is a moment to turn challenge into progress, to shift from climate vulnerability to climate leadership. From energy scarcity to green prosperity. From exclusion to inclusion.”
She added that: “Katsina and the wider Northwest hold enormous potential: abundant solar and wind resources, innovative farmers, dynamic youth, and resilient communities. These are the building blocks of a green economy, if we choose to invest in them wisely.
“A green economy means clean, affordable energy for homes and schools. It means jobs in solar technology, smart agriculture, and sustainable enterprises. It means economic growth that uplifts women, youth, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. It means clean air, healthy families, and stronger, more resilient communities.
“The UN family in Nigeria stands firmly with you. We are working closely with the government through the National Climate Change Council (NCCC) to ensure that Nigeria completes an ambitious NDC 3.0 before September this year, as we look forward to COP 30 in Brazil. We can take it further by developing plans at sub-national level to address climate change, starting with this initiative by Katsina State.
“We must act now. Global investment in clean energy is at record levels. Countries with clear climate strategies are attracting capital, technology, and innovation. Katsina State can lead the way in Nigeria.
“With bold action, Nigeria can lead Africa into a cleaner, safer, and more prosperous future, protecting mangroves in the South, strengthening agriculture in the North, and creating jobs for the next generation in every community.”
She warned that: “As traditional donor funding declines and priorities shift, we must think outside the box. Innovative models, especially around the green economy must guide our path forward.
She explained that the UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said: “We must make peace with nature. Climate action is the ticket to a better, safer, more prosperous future for all.” Calling for investment in Katsina’s green future and advising on leaving no one behind.
Katsina State Governor, Mallam Dikko Radda while noting that Katsina State, which nestled in Nigeria's arid North-West, is a microcosm of the global climate crisis, said: “Over 80% of our people depend on rain-fed agriculture and are battling with desert encroachment that swallows farmlands, erratic rainfall that disrupts planting seasons, and temperatures that rise year after year. These are lived realities for millions of our citizens.
“The consequences of this climate crisis resulted in diminished harvests, vanishing biodiversity, conflicts over scarce resources, and a generation of youth compelled to migrate in search of survival. Yet, within these challenges lies immense opportunity.
Oftentimes, I travel through our rural communities, I see firsthand how climate change has altered the farming activities of our people. Where once there were thriving farms and succulent agricultural produce, now there are encroaching sands. Where once there were reliable rains, now there is uncertainty.”
He added that: “However, I also see the commendable resilience of our people—farmers adopting new techniques, women creating adaptive businesses, and youth embracing innovation. This resilience has already been captured in our administration’s Building Your Future Policy document on climate action.”
He said: “To combat water scarcity and promote irrigation, we’ve constructed 120 solar-powered boreholes across the state, worth ₦2.4 billion, with an additional 60 under construction. This means more water for farmers, more food on our tables, and more income for families.
“In a bid to support sustainable agriculture, we procured 38 tractors and 320 handheld tillers at a combined cost of nearly N3 billion, bringing mechanized farming to every doorstep from Faskari to Jibiya.
More so, we are restoring 1,115 hectares of degraded land with agroforestry and organic farming inputs, an investment of ₦672 million that will benefit generations. We’ve already planted over 100,000 economic trees and are nurturing 3 million more, spread across schools, institutions, and shelterbelts.
“We also invested ₦5.9 billion in stormwater harvesting structures, turning seasonal floods into a year-round blessing for irrigation. To ensure our people can cook cleanly and breathe freely, we procured 4,000 energy-efficient stoves, investing ₦197 million in a cleaner energy future.
“In the energy sector, we've secured a transformative $500 million partnership with Genesis Energy Group to power our state sustainably. We are nearing completion of a 1mw Solar Mini-Grid with a 1MWh Battery Energy Storage System at the Government House, Katsina and a 250KWh Battery Energy Storage System at the State General Hospital—projects that demonstrate our commitment to leading by example.”
The governor said: “Finally, let me proudly say Katsina is training its people for the future. Over 5,000 youths and women have been trained in waste-to-wealth innovation, regenerative agriculture, and smart farming practices. These are not just trainees. They are the green champions of tomorrow.
“What we have done is not cosmetic. It is transformational. What we are building is not just infrastructure. It is resilience. And what we are showing the world is not just results, it is leadership.”
He said: “The $500 million we've secured from Genesis Energy Group for renewable energy demonstrates our capacity to manage transformative investments effectively,” stating that: “More importantly, through Climate Action Cooperatives, our administration will annually train 15,000 of our women and youth in green skills. From solar engineering to sustainable forestry, we will ensure no one is left behind. The green economy could create over 50,000 jobs in Katsina by 2030, and we are determined that our young people will be prepared to fill them.”
On his part, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal said: “Today's gathering comes at a critical time in our national development trajectory, a time when the imperatives of climate change, environmental resilience and green economic transformation are at the forefront of our collective agenda. Climate crisis is no longer a distant threat. We are witnessing the consequences of climate change today in the form of desert encroachment, extreme heat, flooding, droughts, dwindling agricultural productivity and resultant insecurity in our nation.”
He noted that: “The Sahel region where Katsina State is located is particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. However, this region Is also rich with opportunities that can turn adversity into advantage through strategic climate action and green investments. It is In this spirit that | commend Katsina State for taking the bold initiative to launch the Katsina State Action Plan and convene stakeholders to mobilize capital and chart a subnational climate pathway that aligns with Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), our net-zero commitment by 2060, and the broader objectives of the Climate Change Act of 2021.”
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