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By Tracy Moses
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Mahmud Kambari, has assured stakeholders that deliberations and resolutions from the 18th National Council on Environment (NCE) will significantly strengthen environmental policy implementation and promote sustainability across Nigeria.
Kambari gave the assurance on Tuesday in Katsina, Katsina State, while declaring open the technical session of the 18th NCE meeting.
He explained that the Council, recognised as the country’s apex environmental policy-making platform, provides a crucial forum for the Federal Government, state governments and other key stakeholders to review progress, address emerging environmental challenges and adopt resolutions that will guide national environmental policies.
Speaking through the Director of Information and Public Relations of the ministry, Mr. Ibrahim Haruna, the Permanent Secretary noted that the theme of this year’s Council, “Tackling the Triple Planetary Crisis of Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss and Pollution for Sustainable Development in Nigeria,” underscores the collective urgency to confront environmental threats that endanger ecosystems, public health, food security and the nation’s sustainable development goals.
Kambari commended the Katsina State Government and its people for their hospitality and cooperation in hosting the Council. He also expressed appreciation to the Minister of Environment for his strategic leadership, as well as state commissioners of environment, development partners and other stakeholders for their sustained commitment to environmental sustainability in Nigeria.
In his earlier welcome remarks, the Head of Service to the Katsina State Government and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Council, Alhaji Falalu Bawale, said the large turnout of participants demonstrated a shared determination to protect the environment through effective collaboration and the application of professional expertise.
Bawale thanked the Federal Ministry of Environment for selecting Katsina State as host of the prestigious national gathering, describing the National Council on Environment as one of the most critical policy platforms for dialogue, policy alignment and strategic intervention in environmental management.
He added that the Council would expose states to best practices in environmental resilience and strengthen adherence to climate change mitigation and adaptation measures.
The 18th National Council on Environment is scheduled to be formally declared open on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, by the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal.