


FG Integrates Clean Cooking in Revised NDC
As part of the Federal Government’s efforts to integrate clean cooking into the revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), stakeholders have worked together to provide a more robust clean cooking database, modelling for various access expansion scenarios as well as mitigation implications.
The document, released by the International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development (ICEED) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, Heinrich Boell Foundation, World Resources Institute and Stockholm Environment Institute, will help Nigeria to meet its obligations to the Paris Agreement on climate change.
To this end, a workshop with the theme “Clean Cooking in Nigeria’s Revised NDC – ambition, mitigation implications and the way forward” was held last week, in Abuja to disseminate the wider range of research findings to stakeholders.
Speaking during the workshop, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affair, Dr. Anthonia Ekpa, expressed excitement on the determination of the Federal Government to meet its climate change obligations by ensuring that Nigerian households convert from harmful cooking fuels such as fuelwood, charcoal and kerosene to cooking gas and efficient wood stoves.
According to Ekpa, “the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs is fully committed to supporting the actuallisation of clean cooking targets in the NDC. The ministry is seeking to expand access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services in Nigerian communities “, she remarked.
Already the federal government has announced a cooking gas expansion programme to reach 30 million households by 2025. As part of efforts to reach the rural areas, the government is also concluding plans to scale up the use of locally-made improved wood stove technologies.
As part of efforts to enhance Nigeria’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, the International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development (ICEED) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment has launched a number of studies to explore the opportunities for delivering clean cooking solutions as part of Nigeria’s ambition to scale up its commitment to the Paris climate agreement.
According to Executive Director of ICEED, Mr. Ewah Eleri, “expanding access to clean cooking fuels and technologies in Nigeria comes with multiple benefits. Universal access to clean cooking can save up to a million lives in Nigeria by 2030. WHO reports that Nigeria loses 94,300 lives yearly as a result of smoke from the kitchen. Reaching national targets on clean cooking will also help remove the over 30 million tonnes yearly carbon dioxide emissions from Nigerian kitchens and help restore the country’s forests,” he said.
One of the contributors to the clean cooking research, Adeola Eleri of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, said there is a strong linkage between the level of poverty and choice of cooking fuels and technologies, especially among the poorest segment of the society.
“The poorer a household is, the more likely they will choose fuelwood for cooking. While richer households often choose cleaner fuels and technologies, they often combine fuel types according to their various cooking needs”, According to Eleri, “other factors influencing the choice of fuels include their affordability, availability and accessibility. However, for the federal government to reach its target among the poorest, especially in rural areas there is a need for bold policy support mechanisms”, she concluded.
While poverty is apparently a major obstacle to expanding access to clean cooking, several countries with the lower gross domestic product than Nigeria seem to have made more progress than Nigeria, says Precious Onuvae, a contributor to the study.
Stakeholders lamented the lack of financing and suitable technologies as major obstacles to reaching the clean cooking targets of the country.
A contributor to the study and a lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Temilade Sesan submitted that the problem is much deeper than that. According to her, “Nigeria lags behind in access to clean cooking because the interest of influential private sector businesses and the government does not necessarily align with the need to provide clean cooking to the poorest households. Today, the alignment between private business interest with the interest of the government to deepen the use of cooking gas is enjoying political support and creating momentum for the cooking energy market. This, unfortunately, does connect with the interest of the poorest households”, she concluded.
However, the Paris Climate Change Agreement apparently has created new opportunities for poor people in Nigeria to be part of the climate solution. Article nine of the Agreement provides for developing countries to leverage climate finance to cover the cost of greenhouse gas mitigation efforts. By making clean cooking a central part of Nigeria’s renewed commitment to the Paris Agreement, averted emissions from millions of Nigeria’s kitchen can attract compensation from developed countries. This so-called carbon credits can help offset the cost of cleaner cooking fuels or improved wood stoves. By either removing or reducing the high cost of accessing these technologies and fuels, the Paris Agreement will help breath fresh air in millions of Nigeria’s kitchens and help the country meet our national obligations to the Paris Climate Agreement.
Another researcher, Okey Ugwu provided examples of the activities that will help Nigeria attain its clean cooking goals. Some of these projects include the building of training centres for the construction of efficient wood stoves in all six geopolitical zones. On the supply of cooking gas, he proposed the setting up of at “least one cylinder manufacturing plant in each geopolitical zone, establish at least 7,400 skid plants by 2025 and build new LPG terminals in northern Nigeria”, he concluded.
Ewah Eleri thanked the Federal Ministry of Environment for building a strong partnership in revising Nigeria’s commitment to the Paris Climate Change Agreement. He also thanked the NDC Partnership, Heinrich Boell Foundation and the World Resources Institute for funding the research.
ISERAEL - NIGERIA i-FAIR 2020/21
“Transforming ideas into Inventions”
The Embassy of the State of Israel in Nigeria, in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria & partnership with Skill-G Nigeria Ltd, Gregory University Uturu (Abia State), and DeNovo-isreal Ltd are honored to introduce the i-FAIR
The i-FAIR has been created to raise a generation of innovators, inventors and researchers in Nigeria by offering them a platform to transform their brilliant ideas into innovative solutions and launch their entrepreneurial dreams in the following fields:
* Agriculture & Food security
* Renewable Energy/ Environment Management
* Food technology
* Medical Devices/Simulation
* Social Responsibility
Benefits
Successful applicants are entitled to the following benefits, free of charge:
* A unique platform to transform ideas into inventions and develop working prototypes
* Free access and membership to a modern innovation center where they can work on and develop their ideas
* Access to a special certificate- course and mentoring by accomplished inventors, innovators and researchers from Nigeria and the State of Israel
* The opportunity to enter “Masschallenge Israel, 2021”
* The opportunity to pitch inventions and prototypes to investors for possible adoption, patronage and partnership
* An all-expense paid visit to the State of Israel, for inventors with the best prototypes and a chance for a Proof of Concept (POC) collaboration opportunity with leading Israeli companies (TBD)
Who Can Apply
Nigerian citizens over the age 21, with a minimum educational qualification of a bachelor’s degree from any field (preferably in the fields highlighted above) are encouraged to apply.
Duration and Deadlines
Applications are open and will be closed on October 31st, 2020. Afterwards, a team of experts will review the applications and select the best 50-100 ideas. The successful applicants will attend a three-day course from December 1st-3rd, 2020 at the Innovation Center in Abuja.
A team of experts from Israel and Nigeria will mentor/provide the successful applicants the tools necessary to develop their ideas into marketable products and prototypes. The grand finale where participants will make presentations of their prototypes to investors will be held between March 2nd-4th, 2021 at the Innovation Center in Abuja.
For additional information about the i-FAIR please visit: www.ifair-israelnigeria.comand for submission of an application please visit: https://www.ifair-israelnigeria.com/form-app/form.php
Plans For National Decarbonization Progamme
In continuation of the plan to develop a framework and functional secretariat for the National Decarbonization Programme, today, the Honourable Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, met with some stakeholders including Chris Newson, Joseph Ekiye, Jesse-Martin Manufor, Asmau Jibril, Rukayya Muhammed, Chioma Amudi, and Sandra Uzoho in his office at the Ministry's Headquarters, Abuja. It was quite a fruitful engagement.
Press Briefing by Honourable Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar On National Issues and Concern Relating to Environment Sector
PROTOCOL
Distinguished Gentlemen of the Press, I welcome you to this important Press Briefing. It is organized to brief you and the nation that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) has graciously approved the establishment of ten (10) additional National Parks bringing the total number of the National Parks in the Country to Seventeen (17). I will also brief you on the efforts of the Ministry in the Control of the second wave of the Covid-19.
2. The details of the new National Parks are as follows:
1. Allawa Game Reserve
Allawa National Park
310 km2
Niger
2. Apoi Forest Reserve
Apoi National Park
64.77 km2
Bayelsa
3. Edumenum Forest Reserve
Edumenum National Park
86.76 km2
Bayelsa
4. Falgore Game Reserve
Falgore National Park
920 km2
Kano
5. Hadeja Wetland Game Reserve
Hadeja Wetland National Park
320 km2
Jigawa
6. Kampe Forest Reserve
Kampe National Park
652.86 km2
Kwara
7. Kogo Forest Reserve
Kogo National Park
212.66 km2
Katsina
8. Marhai Forest Reserve
Marhai National Park
54.00 km2
Nasarawa
9. Oba Hill Forest Reserve
Oba Hills National Park
52.5 km2
Osun
10. Pandam Forest Reserve
Pandam National Park
244 km2
Plateau
3. To give credence and legal backing to this worthy cause, an Executive Bill will soon be presented to the National Assembly for further necessary action.
4. It should be noted that, the first National Park in Nigeria, Kanji Lake was created in 1979. This was followed by six (6) others spread across the country namely:
i. Kamuku National Park-Kaduna State
ii. Kainji Lake National Park-Niger and Kwara States
iii. Gashaka-Gumti National Park -Adamawa & Taraba States
iv. Chad Basin National Park-Borno and Yobe States
v. Okomu National Park-Edo State
vi. Cross River National Park-Cross River State
vii. Old Oyo National Park-Oyo State
5. The creation of additional National Parks in Nigeria has become imperative in view of the prevailing effects of climate change across the globe. This action is geared towards the United Nation’s policy of placing 25% of its member countries’ landmass under permanent vegetation cover for carbon sequestration to mitigate the effects of climate change and ameliorate other ecological challenges. It may interest you to note that Nigeria currently has 6.7% of her total landmass under vegetation cover which is grossly inadequate in line with global best practices. The creation of these Parks will no doubt, further create more employment opportunities, alleviate poverty in rural areas and ultimately enhance the country’s revenue profile especially now that Nigeria is seeking to diversify her economy.
6. The seventeen (17) National Parks cut across the ecological zones of the country except the marine eco-system. National Parks are areas reserved and managed for conservation of wildlife and natural resources. The Parks contain several rich and diverse varieties of rare endangered species like Elephants, Gorillas, Giraffes, Monkeys, Golden Cats, Hippopotami, crocodiles etc and a host of plant species.
7. The functions of the National Park Service involve surveillance, patrolling, checking illegal activities of poachers in the Parks, enforcement of relevant international treaties and conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory, public enlightenment on the protection and conservation of plants and animals, assisting researchers and searching, arresting and prosecuting offenders.
8. Some of the benefits of the National Parks include the protection of life support systems such as watersheds and water catchment areas. National Parks have great potentials for the development of research, particularly on agriculture, medicine and bio-technology. They also serve as field laboratories for Nigerian Universities and other tertiary institutions. The National Parks are Nigeria’s eco-treasure and have the potentials of contributing substantially to the National economy when fully developed as obtains in East and Southern Africa.
9. Gentlemen of the Press, as you are very much aware National Security is crucial to Protected Areas. It is also regrettable that most State Owned Forest Reserves today have become dens of criminal activities. Therefore, in a bid to further add impetus to the current fight against insurgency as well as other organized crimes such as kidnapping, cattle rustling, banditry amongst others, the creation of these National Parks will provide the much needed apparatus to ward off criminal elements living or looking for hide outs in those Areas.
10. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is important at this juncture to note that in order to ensure maximum security and benefits of these National Parks enunciated above, Mr. President has also directed that the Federal Ministry of Environment, Agriculture & Natural Resources as well as that of Interior should work together to ensure the attainment of the targets.
11. At this junction, it is necessary that we remind ourselves that Nigeria is witnessing a resurgence of COVID-19 Infection going by the records of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control. This resurgence, the second wave as it is known, is hitting Countries and Territories with varying degrees of impact. The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, has been advocating to Nigerians to observe safety provisions in the Protocol for Corona Virus Disease control in the Country.
12. In the wake of the resurgence, the Federal Ministry of Environment has already begun Terminal Environmental Decontamination/Disinfection of Premises where COVID-19 cases have been recorded stemming out of requests from such quarters. We, as a Ministry are determined to continue to support the Federal Government’s coordinated response to the Pandemic. As previously done, the Ministry is poised to once again render qualitative services.
13. You will recall that the Ministry, being one of the Line COVID-19 Response Ministries, proactively mobilized the general public at the inception of the infections earlier this year, towards understanding the nature, mode of spread and control measures. In the whole, maintenance of sterility of Premises, Containments, Dwellings, Offices is the main objective of the Ministry’s Decontamination/Disinfection intervention in order for their users to be safeguarded from letting in the Virus and other microbes into their systems.
14. It is once more necessary to re-echo the need for Nigerian Citizens to adhere strictly to provisions of the COVID-19 control protocol as the main barriers of the virus spread. To this end, Hand hygiene, Respiratory hygiene, Avoidance of crowd, Physical distancing as well as terminal and concurrent decontamination/disinfection must continue to be adopted by all and sundry.
15. It is my firm conviction that decontamination/disinfection as acclaimed by international standards, is contributing immensely to the containment of the spread of Corona virus in Nigeria. I would like to appeal to Nigerians to embrace the safe utilization of Decontamination formulations and administration by engaging only licensed Environmental Health Practitioners for Decontamination/Disinfection Services as an efficient non pharmaceutical Corona control measure.
16. Against this backdrop, the Federal Ministry of Environment is thanking Mr. President for this giant stride which is targeted towards achieving wildlife conservation that is in tandem with United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals and addressing internal security. We also appreciate the efforts of government in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 in the Country. It is our prayer and hope that this second wave of the Pandemic will be promptly controlled effectively.
We are grateful to the Media for your continuous support and cooperation.
Thank you and God Bless.
HON. MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, DR. MOHAMMAD MAHMOOD ABUBAKAR HOSTED THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL AGENCY
The Hon. Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar hosted the Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in his office at the Ministry’s HQ, Abuja
COURTESY VISIT TO THE PALACE OF HRM, KING BARILE Y. DEEBOM JP, GBENEMENE OF KEN-KHANA KINGDOM BY THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, DR. MOHAMMAD MAHMOOD ABUBAKAR
Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar paid a courtesy visit to the palace of HRM, King Barile Y. Deebom JP, Gbenemene of Ken-Khana Kingdom in company of the Officer overseeing the Project Cordination Office of HYPREP, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of HYPREP and Some members of the BoT in Ken-Khana, Ogoniland, Rivers State. On 22nd March, 2021