The ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) and YouthHub Africa have urged Nigerians, especially the youths to evolve practical solutions to tackle climate change in the country.
They made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the Climate Innovators Lab, an event that brought young innovators to present their climate-smart projects, particularly in waste management, renewable energy, and sustainable urban development.
The event saw winners emerging at the end of the pitches and cash prizes were awarded to the top three innovators.
The winners were Christianah ImoleAyo Owoeye who took first place with the ‘Trash Monger Initiative’, a recycling hub powered by renewable energy and led by women, winning N500,000.
Also, Mohammed Ibrahim Jnr secured the second place with his Climate Advocacy Smart Wristband, which promotes daily engagement with climate action and was awarded N300,000.
The third place went to Pwausoko Kadmiel Madayi, whose ECOPLAST initiative enhances soil health and prevents pollution through sustainable agriculture and was awarded N250,000.
Speaking at the event, Judith Gbagidi, the AAN Governance Specialist, said that the essence of the event is to see how young people are trying to curb the effect of climate change with their own talents.
“Nigeria is made up of lots of young people with the youths being almost 70 per cent of the total population and it is vital that everything we are doing we should include them.
“At a point when we are looking at solutions to climate change, we realise youths have the skills and talents and from the strategic partnership agreement project, we have a section that is focused on young people bringing in their own solutions to climate change.
We had this in Lagos, Akwa Ibom Ans this is Abuja now,” Gbagidi said.
Also the Program Manager, YouthHub Africa, Mr Olusegun Medupin, said that the event to see how young people can develop ideas that will answer the several challenges that we have around climate change and environment related issues.
He said that the reality is that none of the Nigeria or Africa challenges are standing in isolation as some of the challenges came from other challenges.
“For instance, not all forms of insecurity came from cultural or religious issues. Some of insecurity stems from the desert encroachment forcing the pastoralists to move to where there is greener pastures. I’m not justifying cattle destroying farm lands, I’m saying that climate change challenge led to other challenges, thus the need to find lasting solutions,” Medupin said.
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