Youths, fun lovers and environmental stakeholders from the public and private sectors have converged on Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, for the 20th edition of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) Walk for Nature. Also well represented are secondary school students from different schools across Lagos.
The annual environmental advocacy programme, organised in collaboration with the Lagos State Government and Chevron Nigeria, attracted participants who gathered at Makanjuola Hall, LASU’s main campus, from 7:00 a.m. for registration and collection of branded materials, including vests and caps bearing inscriptions promoting the walk.
The 2026 edition is being held under the theme, “Inspired for Climate Action,” with a focus on encouraging Nigerians to move beyond environmental awareness to practical action against climate change.
Walk for Nature is a flagship environmental advocacy initiative designed to raise awareness of pressing environmental challenges and promote the protection of nature. Over the years, the programme has addressed issues relating to wildlife and biodiversity conservation, pollution, plastic waste, land restoration, desertification and drought resilience.
In a joint statement, the organisers said the 20th anniversary edition would mobilise Nigerians to take concrete steps towards protecting the environment and strengthening climate resilience, particularly in Lagos, where the effects of climate change are increasingly evident.
The organisers noted that climate change was no longer a distant threat, citing rising temperatures, extreme rainfall, flooding, sea-level rise and the degradation of natural ecosystems as challenges affecting everyday life.
The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, stressed the importance of collective responsibility in addressing environmental challenges.
“Lagos understands the urgency of climate action because our people experience environmental change daily. Government has a responsibility to strengthen resilience and improve environmental management, but government cannot do it alone,” Wahab said.
He urged residents to take responsibility for how they use and protect the environment, describing the 20th Walk for Nature as an important platform for inspiring behavioural change and encouraging Lagosians to contribute to a cleaner, safer and more climate-resilient city.
Similarly, the Director-General of NCF, Dr. Joseph Onoja, said the effects of climate change were already being felt across Nigeria through flooding, extreme heat, displacement, food insecurity and increasing pressure on livelihoods.
“Climate change is no longer a conversation about the future. Nigerians are already experiencing its impacts through flooding, heat, displacement, food insecurity and growing pressure on livelihoods. The 20th Walk for Nature is therefore a call to move from awareness to action,” Onoja said.
He emphasised the importance of protecting forests, wetlands, mangroves and other natural ecosystems, noting that they serve as essential defences against climate change while safeguarding communities, livelihoods and the economy.
The organisers called on Nigerians, particularly Lagos residents, to translate environmental awareness into everyday practices by reducing waste and plastic consumption, avoiding the dumping of refuse in canals and wetlands, planting and protecting trees, conserving wetlands, adopting climate-smart lifestyles and supporting nature-based solutions.
The anniversary edition is also expected to feature special activities and youth-focused engagements in recognition of the important role young Nigerians play in shaping the country’s environmental future.
A waste-bin donation exercise is among the planned activities aimed at promoting responsible waste management as part of broader climate action efforts.
Participation in the Walk for Nature is free, and interested individuals can register online through bit.ly/20thWFN2026. Physical registration has also been taking place at Makanjuola Hall, LASU, where participants are gathering ahead of the walk.
The 20th edition reinforces the organisers’ call for individuals, communities, government institutions and corporate organisations to work together towards environmental sustainability and a climate-resilient future.
Innocent Onoh
