Balarabe Abbas Lawal

OPENING REMARKS AT THE ACRESAL PROJECT MID-TERM REVIEW (MTR)

DATE: 16TH APRIL 2026


Protocol

It is my honour and privilege to warmly welcome you all to the Mid-Term Review of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes Project, ACReSAL. Your presence here today, in such strength and shared purpose, reflects the collective commitment that has brought this project to this important milestone.

2.​ I would like to specially commend the Kaduna State Government, under the able leadership of His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani CON, for providing an enabling and supportive environment for hosting this important event. Your Excellency, we deeply appreciate your leadership, your hospitality, and your commitment to advancing initiatives that promote resilience and sustainable development.

3​ This Mid-Term Review is not a ceremonial gathering. It is a moment of reflection and accountability — a time to take an honest look at where we started, how far we have come, and what still lies ahead. It has been convened with one clear objective: to ensure that when ACReSAL concludes, it delivers real and lasting transformation for the people and landscapes of northern Nigeria.

4.​ Since the launch of ACReSAL, we have made commendable progress. Across participating states and the FCT, implementation is well underway. We have seen advances in land restoration, agroforestry and afforestation efforts, the rehabilitation of degraded watersheds, and the provision of livelihood support to vulnerable communities. Institutional frameworks are in place, procurement processes have progressed, and thousands of beneficiaries are already beginning to feel the positive impact of this investment. These achievements deserve recognition, as they are the result of the dedication and hard work of our state teams, technical experts, and communities.

5.​ Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now at the midpoint — not the finish line. The vision of ACReSAL is ambitious, and the targets before us are significant. There is still much work to be done. We must accelerate implementation, deepen community engagement, strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems, and ensure that every Naira and every Dollar committed delivers maximum value and impact.

6.​ This review provides us with an opportunity to take a serious and honest look at existing gaps, to adjust our strategies where necessary, and to renew our collective energy for the second phase of the project. I urge all participating states and the FCT to approach this process with sincerity and patriotism. Share your successes, but also be open about your challenges. This is not a platform for performance — it is a space for practical, solution-driven dialogue.

7.​ On behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, I extend sincere appreciation to the World Bank for its continued partnership, technical support, and financial commitment. Your involvement in ACReSAL reflects a shared recognition that building climate resilience in the Sahel is not only a national priority, but a global responsibility. We value your expertise and oversight, and we look forward to the insights your team will contribute during this review.

8.​ There is still important work ahead for all of us. The second half of this project will require even stronger collaboration, innovation, and accountability. We rely on your continued support to ensure that ACReSAL achieves its full potential and delivers meaningful impact.
9.​Your Excellency, Honourable Ministers, Ladies and Gentlemen, the people and landscapes of northern Nigeria depend on our actions. Desertification and land degradation will not wait, and neither should we. Let us use this opportunity wisely — to speak honestly, listen carefully, and act decisively.

10.​ Welcome once again to the ACReSAL Mid-Term Review. Let us make it count.
Thank you, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

FULL SPEECH:

WELCOME REMARKS BY BALARABE ABBAS LAWAL,
MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA; AT THE UNIDO SUSTAINABLE COOLING FORUM HELD AT VIENNA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE (VIC). UN HQTRS, VIENNA, AUSTRIA

8TH APRIL, 2026.

Protocol

It is an honour and a privilege to address this distinguished gathering at the UNIDO Sustainable Cooling Forum here in Vienna. I warmly welcome all participants and delegates.

2.​ I wish to commend UNIDO for convening this timely platform, which brings together key stakeholders to advance practical solutions for sustainable cooling—an increasingly critical component of climate action, industrial development, and economic resilience. I also extend my sincere appreciation to the people and Government of Austria for their warm hospitality and for hosting this important event.

3.​ Sustainable cooling is vital not only for climate mitigation, but also for food security, public health, and economic productivity. Achieving this transition requires not only technology, but also skilled human capital, strong institutions, and sustained collaboration.

4.​ In Nigeria, several critical actions have been undertaken to address these challenges, including investments in technical capacity, strengthened education systems, and enhanced institutional frameworks, in line with commitments under the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment. These priorities are also reflected in Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0, submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

5.​ A key milestone is the Nigeria Cooling Action Plan (N-CAP), which provides a clear pathway for transitioning to low global warming potential and energy-efficient cooling technologies. Implementation is being advanced in collaboration with UNIDO and other partners, while supporting industries to adopt environmentally sustainable solutions.

6.​ Notwithstanding this progress, the transition to sustainable cooling demands stronger collaboration across governments, industry, financial institutions, and development partners. Addressing financing gaps, technology access, workforce development, and consumer awareness remains essential, particularly in developing countries.

7.​ Ladies and gentlemen, this Forum provides valuable opportunities to exchange knowledge, strengthen partnerships, and accelerate collective action. Nigeria remains committed to working with all partners to advance sustainable cooling as a driver of climate protection, sustainable development, and improved quality of life.

8.​ In closing, I once again thank UNIDO for its leadership and continued support to Member States. I wish this forum fruitful deliberations and a successful outcome.
Thank you for your attention.

On this occasion of your birthday, I join millions of Nigerians in extending my congratulations to you, Sir.

I am particularly grateful for the visionary leadership you continue to provide in steering our great nation through challenging times.

Your unwavering commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda has not only inspired us all but has also laid a solid foundation for sustainable development, environmental restoration, and climate resilience across the country.

Under your guidance, Nigeria is making steady progress in tackling deforestation, promoting renewable energy, and building a cleaner, greener Nigeria that future generations will be proud of.

May Almighty Allah grant you many more years of good health, wisdom, and strength to continue leading our beloved country to greater heights.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Balarabe Abbas Lawal
Minister of Environment

This blessed festival of Eid marks the successful completion of the sacred month of Ramadan, a period of profound spiritual reflection, self-discipline, compassion, generosity, and renewed devotion to Allah (SWT). May the lessons of patience, empathy, unity, and sacrifice we have embraced during this holy month continue to guide our actions and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood in our communities.

In the spirit of Eid, let us rededicate ourselves to caring for both humanity and the environment that sustains us. As we celebrate with family, friends, and neighbors, let us also remember our shared responsibility to protect our natural heritage: our forests, rivers, air, and biodiversity. A clean, green, and sustainable Nigeria is a gift we owe our future generations.

Eid Mubarak to you all. Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum (May Allah accept it from us and from you).

Balarabe Abbas Lawal
Minister of Environment

Happy International Women’s Day

As I reflect on this special day, my heart is filled with deep gratitude and admiration for the incredible women around the world and especially here at home who pour their strength, wisdom, and unwavering dedication into building a better tomorrow.

In Nigeria, I am especially proud to honour the remarkable "wonder women" leading our country's journey toward a sustainable, resilient, and greener tomorrow.

May I salute the dedicated women leading the Legal Department, the Department of Special Duties, the Department of Climate Change, the Department of Forestry, the Department of Environmental Assessment, the Department of Desertification, Drought and Land Management and the Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, and countless others across our ministry and beyond whose expertise, passion, and tireless efforts are advancing environmental stewardship, climate action, and sustainable development for present and future generations.

Your leadership inspires us all.

To every woman making a difference: thank you for your courage, innovation, and commitment.

Balarabe Abbas Lawal
Minister of Environment
Federal Republic of Nigeria
March 8, 2026

Yesterday, I represented His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, at the flag-off of the Renewed Hope Climate Change Awareness Tour in Abuja.

Climate change is here, hitting our northern farmers with desertification, southern communities with floods and erosion, businesses with higher costs, and our youth with an uncertain future.

This Tour is Nigeria’s call to action: a nationwide push for responsibility, innovation and opportunity.

The world is moving fast to low-carbon economies. Nigeria will lead, not follow.

We will bring climate awareness to every community, partner with governors, traditional rulers, students, innovators, farmers and financiers, identify real, bankable green projects, unlock climate finance and local solutions.

Our NDCs are promises we intend to keep through action and investment.

To our young people: this future is yours. Your ideas and energy will shape tomorrow’s Nigeria. We’re counting on you. 🌳

Today, I flagged off a major distribution of critical resilience assets under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project in Jalingo, Taraba State. This moment represents a significant milestone in our national efforts to combat climate change and land degradation, and I am deeply proud to have been part of it.

As I addressed the dignitaries gathered, I emphasized that events like this one mark real, tangible progress toward building a more climate-resilient and prosperous Nigeria for all our people.

The ACReSAL initiative, generously supported by the World Bank and focused on the drylands of northern Nigeria, is helping us restore degraded lands, secure the livelihoods of vulnerable communities, and safeguard our environment for future generations.

I want to extend my profound appreciation to the Executive Governor of Taraba State, History Excellency, Dr. Agbu Kefas, for his steadfast support and visionary leadership. It is his commitment that has truly laid the foundation for the remarkable advancements we are seeing with ACReSAL here in Taraba. I also commend the State Steering Committee, the State Technical Committee, and the State Project Management Unit for their excellent cross-sectoral coordination, bringing together environment, agriculture, and water resources sectors to deliver meaningful benefits directly to our local communities.

I am equally grateful to the World Bank for its enduring partnership. Their technical rigor, strict adherence to environmental and social standards, and results-oriented approach ensure that this project will deliver lasting value long after its formal close.

The assets we distributed today are strategic investments aligned with ACReSAL’s core components.

Under Component A (Dryland Management), we handed over 100 power tillers to Community Interest Groups and 20 tractors to all Local Government Areas. These will help modernize farming practices and promote sustainable land use across Taraba. We also provided a swamp buggy and low-bed equipment to maintain the Bobboji and Ndibam water channels—vital infrastructure that protects our communities from erosion and flooding.

Under Component B (Community Climate Resilience), we distributed 1,500 clean cookstoves and solar-powered pumps. These tools will drive the adoption of clean energy, improve public health, ease pressure on our forests by reducing deforestation, and enable more sustainable irrigation for our farmers.

Throughout this work, we have remained fully committed to strong social safeguards. I am pleased that we are implementing the Resettlement Action Plan for Project Affected Persons along the water channels, ensuring that infrastructure development proceeds with fairness, respect for citizens’ rights, and protection of their livelihoods.

In Component C (Institutional Strengthening), I commissioned renovated buildings and handed over brand-new Hilux vehicles to the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, and Water Resources, as well as to the Taraba Environmental Protection Agency (TEPA). We also delivered modern laboratory equipment to TEPA, significantly boosting their long-term capacity to monitor and protect our natural resources.

With the project’s Mid-Term Review fast approaching, I am proud to say that Taraba stands out as one of the leading performers in ACReSAL implementation nationwide. The assets flagged off today will feature prominently when we report to our partners, demonstrating concrete delivery on our commitments to expand sustainable landscape management across northern Nigeria.

Looking ahead, ACReSAL is scheduled to conclude on March 31, 2028. I am therefore calling on the Taraba State Government and all stakeholders to urgently develop and prioritize a robust sustainability plan; one that emphasizes local ownership and institutionalized maintenance frameworks so that these tractors, laboratory equipment, restored water channels, and other assets continue to serve our communities for decades to come.

This is not just about today’s handover; it is about securing a resilient tomorrow for Taraba and for Nigeria. 🌳