The Minister of Environment, Alhaji Balarabe Lawal, has stated on Wednesday that the continuos receding of Lake Chad poses a major environmental and food crisis, and called for an effective international collaboration to restore the lake that has receded by 91% of it’s waters.

 

Lawal raised the alarm in Maiduguri, Borno state, at the 2026 top management retreat of the Federal Ministry of Environment, stating; “The ecological crisis confronting the Lake Chad Basin, comprising four countries require a coordinated loibt action by governments, development partners and other stakeholders.in the Lake Chad region of the country.

 

The Minister described the receding inland Lake as, a major catastrophe, warning that it’s devastating impact has extended beyond environmental concerns to livelihoods, food security, displacement and sustainable development of the region.

 

“We need stronger collaboration among the international community to restore Lake Chad, because of its importance to humanity and the global ecosystem,” he said.

 

Lawal said that the annual retreat was convened for three days to review the ministry’s programmes, ongoing projects and policy direction with a view to what he described as, “Improving service delivery and strengthening environmental governance to mitigate climate change in the country.”

 

He added that deliberations at the retreat would focus on stricter enforcement of environmental regulations, including various sanctions against individuals, households and organisations that continue to violate environmental laws.

 

LAWAL, therefore, urged non-governmental organisations to complement government efforts in addressing environmental challenges, while calling for closer collaboration among state governments and agencies, including the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) and the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, to tackle desertification and climate change.

 

He disclosed that the headquarters of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall had been relocated to Kano to strengthen efforts to combat desert encroachment, adding that the agency’s Director-General had commenced operations from the state.

 

Lawal also called on Nigerians to adopt responsible environmental practices by keeping their surroundings clean and avoiding activities that could degrade and deplete natural resources, warning that poor sanitation and environmental abuse contribute to flooding, climate change, cholera and other disease outbreaks.

 

He added that the Federal Government’s tree-planting campaign forms part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda to improve ecological sustainability and climate resilience.

 

Speaking at the event, Governor Babagana Zulum, said the environmental degradation has continued to fuel poverty, displacement and conflict in the state, stressing that sustainable development cannot be achieved without a stable ecosystem.

 

According to him, Borno’s location within the Sahel belt has made the state particularly vulnerable to desertification and the adverse effects of climate change.

 

“We will continue to work with national and international partners to protect our environment through tree planting, ecological restoration and climate resilience initiatives,” he said.

 

He commended the Federal Ministry of Environment for donating cash and other intervention materials to mitigate environmental challenges in the state, while also acknowledging the support of the ACReSAL project.

 

Zulum urged participants at the retreat to use the opportunity to deepen their understanding of Borno’s environmental realities and develop practical solutions to the challenges confronting the region.

 

The governor also called for stiffer penalties against illegal tree-felling noting that neighbouring Cameroon and Niger benefit from trees illegally felled in Nigeria.

 

“There should be tougher sanctions against those involved in indiscriminate tree felling