Nigeria faces significant environmental challenges that transcend national boundaries, impacting millions of lives and ecosystems across the west African region. Natural resource mismanagement and the escalating effects of climate change have led to severe socio-economic and environmental consequences. The Natural Resource Governance Group (NRGG) has been established to address these pressing issues through regional collaboration and collective action.
The group’s formation is driven by the recognition that environmental issues such as flooding, drought, deforestation, and resource conflicts are not confined by geographic borders. For instance, the annual release of water from dams in Cameroon results in devastating floods in Nigeria, destroying homes, livelihoods, and lives in states like Kogi and Benue. Similarly, the persistent drought in Chad intensifies the farmer-herder conflicts in northern Nigeria, further straining resources and social cohesion. These examples underscore the urgent need for a coordinated regional response to environmental governance.
The launch of NRGG represents a crucial step towards creating a unified platform for civil society organizations (CSOs), activists, academics, and rights groups to address the complex environmental challenges facing the region.
Objectives
The objectives of the group are to:
1.
Mobilize civil society actors across Nigeria to exert pressure on their governments to enact and implement effective climate change and natural resource management policies.
2.
Foster agency among rural communities to defend their natural environment and ensure equitable benefits from natural resource extraction.
3.
Promote collaboration among CSOs, activists, academics, and rights groups within West Africa to tackle cross-border environmental issues.