Clean Environment: Tinubu seeks public, private sector partnerships to sustain policies

…Unveils environmental health policies

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, called for strong public and private sector collaboration to enhance policies that will drive clean environment, in the country

The President stated this at the unveiling of four transformative initiatives, aimed at accelerating environmental health agenda, under the current administration, at the State House Conference Center, Abuja

The President who was represented by George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, rolled out the four cardinal policy initiatives on environmental sustainability, including the National Environmental Health Regulation 2024; a comprehensive framework to address pollution, waste management, and sanitation inequities and the Greenhouse Gas Emission Register; a data-driven tool to track and reduce Nigeria’s carbon footprint.

President Tinubu also unveiled the Carbon Analysis Framework; an initiative that will serve as roadmap for industries to transition toward renewable energy and sustainable practices, as well as the Carbon Print Certificate; a national standard that recognizes eco-conscious businesses and communities.

The President while acknowledging that the road ahead demands boldness, in tackling environmental challenges, added that “these policies will only thrive with your partnership”

“The Government cannot act alone. From the farmer adopting climate-smart techniques to the corporation investing in green technology, every Nigerian has a role to play. Environmental stewardship is not a burden but an opportunity to redefine progress”

Tinubu also charged stakeholders to “prioritize the health of our environment, adding that “ the global challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, and emerging health risks demand urgent and sustained attention.

“We cannot afford complacency. We must embrace innovation, collaboration, and investment in sustainable solutions to safeguard our environment and public health for future generations.

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Tinubu also charged the Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHCON), organisers of the event, to mobilise Nigerians towards attaining “clean air, safe water, and sustainable practices

“Your leadership in elevating environmental health standards—from policy innovation to community action—sets a laudable example for the nation.

“To the environmental health professionals here today, you are the unsung architects of our public health, the silent sentinels shielding our communities from preventable diseases, climate threats, and ecological decay. Your work is the bedrock for building a healthier Nigeria.”

President Tinubu who was awarded the “Environmental Health Leadership Excellence Award 2025, also bagged Grand Patron of the National Environment and Public Health Association of Nigeria (NEPHAN) and the title of “Life Fellow” of the Society for Environmental and Public Health of Nigeria (SEPHON)

Balarabe Abbas, Minister of Environment, in his remarks, said the event was organised to recognize Nigerians who are committed to sustaining clean environment.

He disclosed that the Ministry will also recognize those that have been friends of the environment.

He commended the President for his environmental policies and commitment to environmental health in the country, adding the President has achieved a balance between economic development and environmental protection,which is crucial for the wellbeing of present and future generations.

Sadiq Sani, Chief Executive Officer of NetZence Health Mobility Limited, assured the federal government of the private sectors support towards tackling environmental challenges in the country

Sani, one of the awardees, while speaking with BusinessDay, said his organization built the first one-of-a-kind technology across the world that track and monitor carbon emission in real time.

He disclosed that Netzence is committed to contributing to the eradicating climate change issues, “Our technology contributes to making our environment much more better. The more you take out the carbon, it automatically contributes to a better environmental health.

“The government is working had and in collaboration with NetZence, Environmental Health Council of Nigeria, to see how environmental health can be better improved. Air pollution, air quality monitoring can be better improved. And what we have done is to improve the skills of environmental health specialists and practitioners in this field.

“Together with HECON and the federal government, we are actively working towards improving the knowledge, the skills across the practitioners, to see how we can provide a much more better environment for all.”

He noted that funding had been a major challenge towards ensuring success in the battle against environmental hazards, but said, “We are working with the government to see how we can enhance and understand environmental health, understand the implications, and also understand how our technologies can be used to mitigate these concerns and provide a much more better environment in which we all can support the efforts of the government and also make this environment much more better living for every one of us.

“If you take out the air pollution in the environment, then you can have a much more better health condition for a lot of people in that environment. So this is what technology do in terms of gradually, collectively working towards taking out those emissions from the environment so that everyone can breathe easily and that we can bring down, for example, the rate of diseases in that environment.”