The key mandates of the Green Economy Initiative, as encapsulated in the blueprint document, are interwoven around five interconnected pillars: Environmental conservation and management of carbon sink assets, sustainable resource management, renewable energy for development, inclusivity, and private sector-led job creation, especially green ones.

To help institutionalize these giant strides, Governor Umaru Bago, a few weeks ago, issued an executive order and approved a Green Economy policy as signposts to Niger State’s resolve to safeguard the environment, enhance climate resilience, and foster sustainable resource management to diversify its economy, promote clean energy transition, ensure food security, and create green jobs that empower its communities.

The State is committed to long-term sustainability along the pathway to net zero, planning to plant 1 billion trees for carbon credits sequestration on 760,000 hectares of land in the next 4-5 years by signing an MOU with the Blue Carbon Organization under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum.

The State also intends to develop large crop farm estates of 10,000 hectares each, about 100 estates across the state, sustainably to manage water resources, produce and process crops, create jobs, and generate wealth for its citizens. Niger State aims to cultivate 250,000 hectares of land annually for sugar, sweet sorghum, cassava, and corn to produce 1 billion liters annually, thereby helping to reduce significantly greenhouse gas emissions.