Meeting the environmental challenges of a growing nation

Mohammed Kabir Said Minister of Environment

Protection of the environment is high on the agenda of the Nigerian government. Foreign aid and assistance will be vital in order to tackle the challenges facing the country.
“The problems are enormous,” says Mohammed Kabir Said, Minister of Environment. “But people do appreciate that we need assistance. They understand that the size of the country and the size of its population, and what we need to produce will have consequences for the environment.”

Among the environmental challenges Nigeria faces are desertification, soil erosion, deforestation and pollution in the Niger delta region. One of the most visible consequences of the numerous oil spills has been the loss of mangrove forests. Mr. Said is particularly concerned about the encroachment of the Sahara desert in the north of the country; it is estimated that Nigeria is losing about one mile to the desert each year.
Under a National Action Plan to combat desertification, the government is establishing a seedling nursery. “We want to establish ‘shelter belts’ – a wall of trees about 900 miles long and half a mile wide to protect the land,” he says. “Such a barrier can stop the desert expanding. This project will need a lot of money, a lot of expertise, and a lot of technology.”

the government is intent on ensuring that agricultural development is also sustainable

The problem of land-loss to the Sahara is exacerbated by the fuel demands of the population, two-thirds of whom live in rural areas. The reliance on wood for fuel for domestic consumption has resulted in significant deforestation – the World Bank estimates about 469 square miles were lost annually to deforestation between 1990 and 1995.
Coastal erosion is another problem the government is tackling: it is calculated that Nigeria loses about 150 feet to the Atlantic Ocean every year.

The problem of oil pollution in the Niger delta, however, is slowly being brought under control. Several American firms are involved in efforts to reduce oil spills, and cut back burning unwanted gas (flaring). Mr. Said says there are many opportunities for U.S. companies to help protect Nigeria’s environment, from modern methods for waste and water management, to clean technology for industry.

He adds that environmental concerns are still a relatively new issue for most Nigerians. “We’ve put a lot of emphasis on creating awareness so that the population understands that every single person has a role to play in making the whole country a better place in which to live.
“The Environment Ministry is a new idea – it started at the inception of this administration. But people now know that we exist, and they understand our mandate; they know what they have to contribute, and what we will contribute.”