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At 40, NES Reaffirms Commitment to Climate Solutions, Development
The Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) has marked its 40th anniversary, pledging renewed commitment to climate action, environmental professionalism and sustainable national development.
The milestone celebration, which also featured the society’s National Conference and 35th Annual General Meeting, took place on Thursday at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre and Suites in Abuja.
In her virtual keynote address, President and CEO of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISED) in the United Kingdom, Sarah Mukherjee, described NES as “a beacon of what can be achieved when professionals come together with purpose and perseverance.”
She commended the society’s four decades of work in environmental advocacy, policy development and professional training, noting that its efforts have influenced key national policies such as the National Policy on the Environment and the Environmental Impact Assessment Act.
Sarah also acknowledged the contributions of NES members in international environmental negotiations and advisory committees, saying their input has strengthened Nigeria’s environmental governance and positioned the country as an active participant in global climate discussions.
Delivering his presidential address, NES President, Dr. Efegbidiki Okobia, said the anniversary marked a defining moment in the organisation’s journey.
“For the past 40 years, we have made tremendous progress with government institutions, private partners and the civil society in driving environmental awareness and professional development,” he said.
Okobia recalled that NES began with only ten professionals—mostly from the oil and gas sector—and has now expanded to 35 chapters across Nigeria and one in the United Kingdom. He described the passage of the Institute of Environmental Practitioners of Nigeria Act in 2023 as one of the society’s greatest achievements, giving environmental practice formal recognition and structure in the country.
He further disclosed that NES would soon launch the “Nigerian Environmental Outlook”, a policy document that will track national environmental indicators and guide evidence-based policymaking.
While lamenting the country’s worsening waste management crisis, Okobia called for stronger legislation to enforce waste segregation and improve public awareness. He emphasised that environmental development requires both institutional support and citizen responsibility.
“The next phase for NES is to ensure the practical implementation of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions and to bring climate action closer to communities,” he added.
One of the society’s founding members, Mr. Hamid Adekunle, expressed gratitude for witnessing NES’s growth from inception to its 40th anniversary.
“There were ten of us who started the Nigerian Environmental Society,” he said. “I thank Almighty God that I am alive to see what that small beginning has become today.”
He urged younger professionals to focus more on research, innovation and local solutions tailored to Nigeria’s environmental realities rather than depending solely on imported ideas.
