Nigeria Minister Lawal: Severe Rangeland Degradation Needs Action

• Nigeria's Environment Minister, Balarabe Lawal, reported that 650,000 square kilometers of the nation's rangelands are facing severe degradation.
• The degradation, driven by desertification, agricultural expansion, and overgrazing, undermines food security and rural communities, especially in northern Nigeria.
• This environmental crisis is linked to persistent farmer-herder conflicts, which are partly caused by shrinking grazing areas and climate change.
• Nigeria is implementing programs like the Great Green Wall Initiative and ACReSAL to restore ecosystems and manage rangelands sustainably.
• The minister called for greater recognition of pastoral communities and the integration of indigenous knowledge into restoration efforts.

The government has affirmed its commitment to reversing land degradation, restoring these vital rangelands, and bolstering resilience against drought.

Nigeria's vast rangelands, spanning an estimated 650,000 square kilometers primarily across the northern states, are experiencing severe degradation, according to Minister of Environment Balarabe Lawal. The minister, whose address was delivered by Etim William, Director of the Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought Management Department, raised these concerns in Abuja during Nigeria's national commemoration of the 2026 World Desertification and Drought Day. This widespread degradation is attributed to a combination of desertification, the expansion of agricultural activities and livestock farming, and overgrazing.

Mr. Lawal underscored the critical importance of these ecosystems, noting that they are central to pastoral livelihoods, food security, and rural economies, while also supporting the majority of Nigeria's livestock sector. Despite their economic and social significance to millions of Nigerians, a substantial portion of these vital lands has already been compromised. The minister issued a call for immediate and decisive action to restore these degraded landscapes and to bolster Nigeria's capacity to withstand the impacts of drought and broader climate change challenges.

The national event in Abuja served as a precursor to the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), scheduled to be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 17 to 28. This local commemoration brought together various stakeholders, including representatives from government agencies, civil society organizations, and environmental advocacy groups, highlighting a unified concern for the nation's environmental future.

The global observance of World Desertification and Drought Day, marked annually on June 17, was hosted by Kenya in 2026 under the theme, "Rangelands: Recognise, Respect, Restore." This theme aligns with the United Nations' designation of 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, a recognition that Mr. Lawal noted provides a crucial opportunity to draw increased attention to the challenges confronting these ecosystems and the communities that rely on them. He emphasized that rangelands should be viewed not as barren or unused territories, but as dynamic, productive ecosystems that sustain diverse communities, economies, and cultures.

The degradation of rangelands has taken on particular urgency as Nigeria actively seeks sustainable solutions to its persistent farmer-herder conflicts. Minister Lawal explicitly linked these conflicts, in part, to the shrinking availability of grazing areas, alongside the broader impacts of climate change and drought. He advocated for enhanced recognition of pastoral communities and the integration of their indigenous knowledge into strategies for managing and restoring rangelands.

The government has affirmed its commitment to reversing land degradation, restoring these vital rangelands, and bolstering resilience against drought. To achieve these goals, it is scaling up various programs focused on ecosystem restoration, afforestation and reforestation initiatives, sustainable rangeland management practices, watershed restoration, and community-based natural resource management. Key programs currently being implemented include the Great Green Wall Initiative, the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, and the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100).

The Minister warned that the ongoing challenges of desertification, land degradation, and drought are imposing significant costs on both communities and the national economy. These environmental issues directly threaten food security, diminish soil productivity, and lead to a loss of biodiversity across affected regions. The degradation of rangelands, particularly in northern Nigeria, is actively undermining food security, increasing the vulnerability of rural communities, and jeopardizing the social and economic fabric of these areas.

Furthermore, Mr. Lawal cautioned that intensified competition over dwindling productive land and access to clean water resources could exacerbate existing tensions and conflicts among communities. The cumulative impact of these environmental pressures underscores the urgent need for comprehensive and sustained interventions to protect and restore Nigeria's rangeland ecosystems.

Lawyers advising clients in agriculture, livestock, or land development in Nigeria should monitor evolving environmental regulations and land use policies stemming from the government's commitment to rangeland restoration. This includes anticipating new compliance requirements, potential land use restrictions, and legal frameworks for addressing resource-related conflicts like farmer-herder disputes.

Source: Original reporting from the Minister of Environment's address.