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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Environment & Climate

Sterling One urges inclusive climate action

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Sterling One Foundation advocates for inclusive climate action that combines community participation with economic empowerment.
  • The foundation launched a One Million Trees Planting Initiative in Kaduna, aiming to restore the environment and benefit local communities, especially women.
  • This large-scale reforestation effort is a collaboration involving multiple organizations to combat deforestation and land degradation in Nigeria.

Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation, is calling for inclusive and sustainable environmental strategies, emphasizing that effective climate action must integrate community participation and economic empowerment. Speaking at the launch of the One Million Trees Planting Initiative in Kaduna, Ibekwe highlighted that the project is a commitment to environmental restoration and future investment in local communities. She stated that combining ecosystem restoration with economic opportunities, particularly for women involved in planting and maintenance, creates a resilient and scalable model.

Climate action must be both inclusive and sustainable.

— Olapeju IbekweStating the core principle of the initiative.

The initiative, launched in commemoration of World Environment Day, is a collaborative partnership between Sterling One Foundation, Africa Finance Corporation, the Nigerian Defence Academy, Sterling Bank, and Fifth Chukker Resort. It represents one of the country's most significant consolidated reforestation and landscape restoration efforts, aiming to plant one million trees to combat rapid deforestation, biodiversity loss, and severe land degradation across Nigeria. This project builds upon the foundation's previous work, including the 2023 Sterling Agroforestry for Climate Action Project.

By combining ecosystem restoration with economic opportunities, particularly for women who will play a central role in planting and long-term maintenance, the partners are building a resilient, scalable model for the country.

— Olapeju IbekweExplaining the integrated approach of the project.

Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of Africa Finance Corporation, noted that building climate resilience requires bold action and strong multi-stakeholder partnerships, demonstrating how collaboration yields measurable environmental and social outcomes. Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, linked environmental protection to national stability, asserting that environmental degradation threatens local livelihoods and long-term community security. The project is particularly critical as Nigeria loses hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest cover annually, exacerbating climate vulnerability and disrupting agrarian livelihoods.

Building climate resilience demands bold action and strong multi-stakeholder partnerships.

— Samaila ZubairuCommenting on the necessity of collaboration for climate resilience.
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Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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