Julius Berger Nigeria PLC has joined forces with the Renewed Hope Climate Change Awareness Tour, a national initiative aimed at promoting climate resilience and sustainable development across Nigeria, to further the project’s goals.

The initiative was inaugurated inside the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, urged governors, Organised Private Sector (OPS) actors and fellow stakeholders to lead Nigeria’s climate transition, transforming awareness into practical action at all levels, while calling on governors, private sector leaders, and stakeholders to accelerate the country’s transition to a resilient, low-carbon economy.

Tinubu said climate change was not only a risk but also an opportunity for innovation, growth, and national development.

“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,” the President said.

Stressing that Nigeria stands at a defining moment as the global transition to low-carbon development accelerates, Tinubu said: “Capital is shifting, markets are evolving, and technology is transforming industries. Nigeria intends to lead tomorrow.”

He explained that the tour would take climate awareness beyond conference halls to communities, engaging governors, traditional rulers, students, innovators, entrepreneurs, farmers, and financial institutions nationwide.

By doing so, he added that bankable projects would be identified, local solutions unlocked, climate finance capacity strengthened, and public-private partnerships mobilised.
T
o the stakeholders, the President said nationally determined contributions were commitments to reduce emissions, enhance resilience, and safeguard communities, saying: “Commitments must be matched with action, supported by investment, and this tour bridges that gap.”

Also, the Director of Forestry in the ministry, Halima Bawa, stressed the urgency of confronting climate change, noting its effects, including desert encroachment, flooding, coastal erosion, and erratic rainfall affecting farmers.

Lawal lauded the Climate Change Act 2021 for establishing a legal framework for coordinated climate governance, carbon budgeting, and a pathway to net-zero emissions by 2060, institutionalising climate action across sectors.

Special Assistant to the President on Climate Change Matters, Yussuf Kelani, said the tour represented a national movement grounded in leadership, collaboration, and commitment to Nigeria’s environmental and economic security.

Kelani, Chairman of the REHCCAT Committee, said the initiative sought to democratise climate knowledge, align federal and state-level action with Nigeria’s NDCs, and mobilise partnerships, green jobs, and climate finance.

Guest Speaker, Prof. Babajide Alo, emphasised that climate resilience requires locally led adaptation, community empowerment, and capacity-building to actively manage climate risks and implement sustainable solutions.

Last September, Nigeria submitted its NDC 3.0, committing to reduce GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 32 per cent by 2035. The country has now committed to reducing GHG by 29 per cent by 2030 and 32 per cent by 2035 compared to the 2018 levels.