Review of Nigeria’s Great Green Wall Initiative Targets Transparency and Accountability

In an effort to combat land degradation, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in collaboration with Transparency International (TI), has reviewed Nigeria’s Great Green Wall Initiative to scrutinize the effectiveness of the initiative in fostering transparency, accountability, and community engagement.

The forum, a two-day stakeholders forum in Abuja was attended by representatives from government bodies, grassroots organizations, and international partners, and provided a platform for intensive discussions on the challenges and opportunities associated with the Great Green Wall Initiative.

Speaking Executive Director of CISLAC Auwal Ibrahim (Rasfsanjani), highlighted Transparency International’s role in ensuring governance integrity and anti-corruption measures within the initiative.

He said, “TI seeks to contribute to the success of the GGWI through reinforcing aspects of transparency, accountability, integrity, participation, and anti-corruption. The overall purpose of this project is to assess the strength and weaknesses of the GGWI in Nigeria in terms of transparency, accountability, integrity, participation, and anti-corruption. The assessment’s findings are intended to improve knowledge of climate finance governance and practices of the GGWI in Nigeria and potentially beyond”.

He added,”The research report will identify gaps in climate finance governance with regards to the GGWI in Nigeria and provide relevant recommendations on the best global practices towards ensuring transparency, accountability, community led- monitoring and equitable participation”.

Also, Bathsheba Tagwai of CISLAC emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to the Pan Africa Great Green Wall Initiative and the establishment of the National Great Green Wall Agency (NAGGW) in 2015.

She said, “Nigeria being a signatory to the Pan Africa Great Green Wall(PAGGW) African Union’s Great Green Wall Initiative,signed the Act for the establishment of the National Great Green Wall Agency (NAGGW) in 2015, to address land degradation and desertification, boost food security and support communities to adapt to climate change in the Nigerian States of Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa. Its mission is to halt and reverse land degradation, prevent depletion of biological diversity, ensure that by 2025, ecosystems are resilient to climate change and continue to provide essential services that would contribute to human welfare and poverty eradication”.

She added,” the project is aiming at seeing the governance performance and the implementation in Nigeria and also the assessment’s findings are intended to improve knowledge of climate finance by governance and practices of the GGWI in Nigeria and potentially beyond”.

The event facilitated an exchange of ideas and insights aimed at refining strategies and promoting best practices in climate finance governance. Stakeholders underscored the need for enhanced transparency, accountability, and community participation to ensure the success of the Great Green Wall Initiative in addressing land degradation and promoting environmental sustainability.

The forum’s outcomes are expected to inform policy decisions and guide future actions in advancing the goals of the Great Green Wall Initiative. By fostering collaboration and dialogue among diverse stakeholders, Nigeria seeks to strengthen its efforts in combating land degradation and building resilience to climate change impacts.