Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday inaugurated the Renewed Hope Climate Change Awareness Tour (REHCCAT), a nationwide initiative designed to promote climate resilience and sustainable development across Nigeria.
The launch, held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, marked the formal commencement of a national outreach campaign aimed at deepening climate awareness and strengthening implementation of Nigeria’s climate commitments.
Represented by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, the President described the initiative as a movement beyond awareness, calling for collective action from state governments, the private sector, and communities.
“Today we inaugurate a movement, the Renewed Hope Climate Change Awareness Tour. It is a national call to action, a call to innovation, opportunity, and sustainable development for all Nigerians,” Tinubu said.
President Tinubu noted that climate change presents both immediate risks and long-term economic opportunities for Nigeria. He highlighted the varying impacts across regions, including drought affecting northern farmers, coastal erosion and flooding in southern communities, disruptions to businesses, energy supply challenges, and the broader implications for the nation’s youth.
He stressed that Nigeria stands at a critical juncture as global economies accelerate toward low-carbon development.
“Capital is shifting, markets are evolving, and technology is transforming industries. Nigeria intends to lead tomorrow,” he said.
According to the President, the tour will move climate dialogue beyond conference halls and into communities, engaging governors, traditional rulers, students, innovators, entrepreneurs, farmers, and financial institutions nationwide.
“Through this tour, we will identify bankable projects, unlock local solutions, strengthen climate finance capacity, and mobilise partnerships between the public and private sectors,” he added.
Emphasising Nigeria’s international climate commitments, Tinubu stated:
“Commitments must be matched with action, supported by investment, and this tour bridges that gap.”
He further called on young Nigerians to actively participate in shaping the nation’s climate transition.
“Climate resilience is national security. Leadership is not a budget; it is a result we must accept with confidence. Nigeria chooses leadership over hesitation,” Tinubu said.
Also speaking, Minister of Environment Balarabe Lawal, represented by the Director of Forestry, Halima Bawa, underscored the urgency of confronting climate change. He cited desert encroachment, flooding, coastal erosion, and erratic rainfall as growing threats to livelihoods and food security.
Lawal commended the Climate Change Act 2021 for establishing a legal framework for coordinated climate governance, carbon budgeting, and a pathway toward achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
He noted that the Act institutionalised climate action across sectors but stressed that implementation must extend beyond federal structures to subnational and grassroots levels to achieve meaningful impact.
Special Assistant to the President on Climate Change Matters, Yussuf Kelani, who also chairs the REHCCAT Committee, described the initiative as a coordinated national effort rooted in collaboration and shared responsibility.
Kelani said the tour aims to democratise climate knowledge, align federal and state-level action with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and mobilise partnerships, green jobs, and climate finance.
“REHCCAT will proceed across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, beginning with two strategic states per zone, and convene high-level policy dialogues with governors, commissioners, state legislatures, youth, women, farmers, artisans, and community leaders.”
Guest Speaker, Prof. Babajide Alo, emphasised that long-term resilience must be community-driven and supported by capacity-building initiatives that empower citizens to manage climate risks effectively.
He stressed the importance of integrating sustainability into everyday economic and social practices.
“Securing Nigeria’s climate future requires revisiting priorities and lifestyles, embracing responsible consumption, reducing carbon footprints, and embedding sustainable development in every sector,” Alo said.
The Renewed Hope Climate Change Awareness Tour is expected to engage stakeholders across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones in structured dialogues aimed at identifying practical solutions, strengthening climate finance mechanisms, and accelerating implementation of national climate goals.
With the inauguration now complete, the initiative will begin state-level engagements as part of its broader effort to translate Nigeria’s climate commitments into measurable action at community and institutional levels.
