In a significant step towards promoting environmental sustainability and enhancing community livelihoods, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and First Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited (First E&P) have launched the Afforestation, Livelihood Enhancement, and Carbon Sequestration (ALEC) initiative. This initiative, in partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), aims to tackle pressing environmental issues such as deforestation, biodiversity loss, and climate change in 11 littoral communities of Bayelsa State.
Nigeria faces a critical environmental situation, with estimates indicating that 70-80% of the country’s original forests have been lost due to unsustainable logging practices and agricultural expansion, as reported by Global Forest Watch and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Additionally, the country is home to 309 species currently listed as threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Without urgent intervention, Nigeria risks losing its remaining mangrove forests by 2050, which would exacerbate climate change impacts and threaten its rich biodiversity.
The ALEC initiative aims to plant half a million trees over the next five years and rehabilitate critical ecosystems in the host communities associated with the NNPCL and First E&P joint venture. Bala Wunti, Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), emphasized that the initiative reflects a commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility, highlighting the interconnectedness of sustainable business success and community well-being.
Mr. Etomi, Executive Director of Corporate Services at First E&P, noted that the ALEC Project represents a pivotal step toward a sustainable future, underlining the significance of collaborative efforts to combat environmental degradation while uplifting local communities.