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UN Women, NCCC Call for Gender Inclusion in Climate Policies
UN Women, NCCC Call for Gender Inclusion in Climate Policies
By: Michael Mike
UN Women Nigeria, in partnership with the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), has launched the Gender Integration Toolkit and Strategy for Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), calling for the inclusion of gender in climate policies.
The toolkit is designed to include gender considerations into climate planning, financing, implementation, and monitoring across all levels of governance. It provides practical guidance to ensure that climate policies, projects, and investments are not only effective but also gender-responsive.
Delivering the keynote address, Director-General of the NCCC, Bar. Mrs. Tenioye Majekodunmi, underscored the urgency of embedding gender considerations into climate policy.
“Gender equality is not just a social imperative -it is a climate imperative,” she declared.
She added: “When women have equal access to resources, farm yields rise, household resilience improves, and communities become more sustainable.”
The launch comes amid Nigeria’s efforts to implement its updated NDC 3.0, guided by the Climate Change Act of 2021 and the Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS).

Majekodunmi noted that the new toolkit aligns with these frameworks and helps institutionalize gender-responsive approaches across key sectors, including energy, agriculture, transport, industry, and waste.
“We are building an institutional architecture that integrates gender considerations across all sectors,” she said.
“The NDC Gender Integration Toolkit we launched today is a cornerstone of that effort.”
The toolkit, developed by UN Women Nigeria, is designed to equip national, state, and local institutions with tools to identify gender gaps, integrate gender-sensitive approaches in project design, and monitor results through MRE-ready (Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation) and sex-disaggregated indicators.
“If you’re not tracking, you’re just wasting time,” Majekodunmi noted.
“That’s what I love the most about this toolkit ,the ability to track these results and make adjustments based on evidence.”
She stressed that gender equality must become a standard of performance, not an afterthought.
“No policy, no investment, and no decision on climate change should be made without considering its gender implications,”
“This is about institutionalising gender-responsive budgeting and ensuring that women are part of the decision-making process — from the local to the national level.” She said.
The DG praised the collaborative effort behind the toolkit’s development, crediting the support of key government ministries and agencies.
“I wish to commend the UN Women Nigeria Country Office, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs,” she said.
“This type of resource is only possible through strong technical partnerships and shared commitment.”
Majekodunmi called on all stakeholders to treat the toolkit not as a final product, but as a dynamic, evolving tool for lasting change.
“Let us use this toolkit not as an end in itself, but as a living guide, a framework for shared accountability, a catalyst for innovation, and a bridge between national ambition and local impact.”
She concluded her remarks with a powerful message that captured the spirit of the event:
“When gender equality drives climate action, sustainability flows naturally.”
Speaking at the launch of Nigeria’s NDC Gender Integration Toolkit and Strategy, Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Country Representative to ECOWAS, stressed the urgent need to center gender equality in climate policy.

She highlighted the unequal impact of climate change on women, their central role in climate-sensitive sectors, and the importance of turning tools into tangible action.
Eyong revealed the gendered impacts of climate change, noting that women bear the brunt of its consequences, particularly in vulnerable regions.
“According to the UN, 80% of people displaced by climate change are women and children,”
“Climate-related disruptions directly undermine food security, household incomes, and national economies. Nigeria is no exception.” She said
Second, she emphasized the vital but often overlooked contributions of women to climate adaptation, particularly in agriculture, food systems, and local environmental knowledge.
“Women have a unique knowledge of the environment about medicinal plants, animals, and sustainable practices,”
“They have something to bring to the table to make sure that whatever we are doing is inclusive, rich, and equitable.” Eyong explained .
Eyong called on ministries, departments, and agencies to take ownership of the newly launched toolkit, translating it into real-world policy and programmatic change.
“Tools alone are not enough. They depend on strong ownership and active application,”
“Mainstreaming gender in the energy sector, for example, is not only about including women in renewable projects, but ensuring equitable access to training, finance, and technology.” She urged.
National Consultant on Gender Mainstreaming for NDC 3.0 and LT-LED, Ms. Ogochukwu Ukemezia made a compelling case for translating the toolkit into real, system-wide change.
She emphasized the importance of action, the societal value of gender equality, and the power of inclusive development planning.
Ukemezia stressed that the event was not merely symbolic but a practical rallying point for all actors ,from government ministries to development partners ,to apply the toolkit in their daily work.
“Today’s event is more than a launch ,it is a call for action, a call for every government institution, every development partner, and every stakeholder to embrace these tools and apply them meaningfully in their work.”
She reframed gender equality as a driver of national progress, innovation, and sustainable development, not just a moral concern.
“Gender equality is not just a moral advantage it is a societal advantage. When we empower women and girls, we unlock innovation, resilience, and sustainable development for all.”
Drawing on Nigeria’s development planning history, she urged planners to move beyond token gender chapters and fully integrate gender data and needs across all sectors.
“Before now, what we did in the National Development Plan was to have a chapter for gender and we said ‘leave power out of it, leave works out of it.’ Now, we are putting gender in power, gender in agriculture, gender in energy, and gender in employment.” She stated .
Social Development Director at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Grace Obi Ukpabi emphasized the urgent need to move beyond generic national planning and instead use gender-sensitive data to design policies that respond to the diverse realities of Nigerians.
She also reveal the shift from sidelining gender to making it central to development planning.
Ukpabi called for an intentional, data-driven approach to planning that recognizes how different groups especially women and children experience policy differently.
She urged planners to break the habit of treating the population as one homogenous block.
“When we are done, we must begin to decide by gender, by vulnerability, by originality and then intentionally prioritise what each section of it needs to truly resolve issues.”
She reflected on how past national plans relegated gender to a side chapter, but praised the current shift to fully integrate gender concerns into power, infrastructure, energy, and other key sectors.
“Before now, we said ‘leave gender out of this, leave power out of this.’ But now we are putting gender in power, gender in works, gender in employment. It’s making it more real.”
UN Women, NCCC Call for Gender Inclusion in Climate Policies
News
Army troops restore calm after farmers, herders clash in Sokoto
Army troops restore calm after farmers, herders clash in Sokoto
By: Zagazola Makama
The troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have restored normalcy to Karangiya and Danjawo villages in Silame Local Government Area following a violent clash between farmers and herders on Sunday.
Zagazola reliably informed by sources that the clash erupted at about 9 a.m. over alleged cultivation of farmlands along cattle routes.
According to the sources, the altercation between Hausa farmers from Karangiya and Fulani herders from Danjawo escalated into violence before security operatives intervened.
The troops swiftly moved to the scene to restore order.
Nine people from both sides five farmers and four herders sustained varying degrees of injuries. Five were treated and discharged at the Silame General Hospital, while three others are still receiving treatment.
The Chairman of Silame Local Government Area has convened an emergency stakeholders’ meeting to find a lasting solution to the dispute.
Intensive patrols and surveillance have been intensified in the affected communities, while calm has been restored.
Army troops restore calm after farmers, herders clash in Sokoto
News
WANEP Hosts National Briefing on Rising Concerns of Religious Radicalism•Highlights risks of unregulated Madrassas in Nigeria
WANEP Hosts National Briefing on Rising Concerns of Religious Radicalism
•Highlights risks of unregulated Madrassas in Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), under the EU-supported Research and Action for Peace (REcAP) program, hosted a national deliberative briefing to present key findings from two studies exploring the ideological, cultural, and security implications of madrassas in both Northern and Southwestern Nigeria.
This was disclosed in a statement made available on Monday by Mr Emmanuel Ami-Okhani, the representative of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) in Nigeria.
The session was attended by policymakers, researchers, civil society actors, and security stakeholders, focused on understanding how religious education intersects with radical ideologies, external funding, and youth identity in Nigeria.
The REcAP project, implemented by WANEP in partnership with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), aims to strengthen the role of civil society and research in shaping effective responses to conflict, violent extremism, and peacebuilding across West Africa and the Lake Chad Basin.
One of the working paper presentations of a major study titled “Madrasas, Charities and Religious Radicalism in Northern Nigeria: A Study of the Almajiri System,” authored by Prof. Freedom Onuoha, Dr Saheed Babajide Owonikoko, and Dr Chukwuma Okoli, explored the theological foundations and operational structures of the Almajiri system, particularly in Abuja, Kano, and Borno states, regions selected for their population size, security relevance, and Islamic education presence.

The research highlighted that the Almajiri system, rooted in the Arabic term al-muhajirun (meaning “to migrate for knowledge”), has historically served as a respected Islamic education platform but has since suffered neglect, a lack of regulation, and infiltration by unverified foreign actors.
According to Owonikoko, who presented the paper, the study found evidence of informal funding from foreign religious charities, mainly from the Middle East. Still, it warned that such support is largely undocumented, making it difficult to monitor for extremist influence.
He disclosed that, based on interviews conducted with school custodians, scholars, former Almajiri students, and security agents, a key concern is the lack of transparency surrounding financial donations and the ideological content introduced by some foreign-linked clerics.
He cited historical and contemporary cases where charities from countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran supported specific sectarian ideologies within Almajiri schools. However, direct links between this support and actual radicalisation remain hard to legally establish due to the clandestine nature of donations.
Owonikoko noted during the presentation that “most Almajiri schools are not documented or supervised, making them vulnerable to ideological manipulation through informal funding channels.”
“While the majority of Almajiri students are peaceful and focused on Quranic education, the lack of structure creates loopholes that can be exploited by extremist elements.”
A second study titled “Madrassas and Islamic Extremism among Teenage Muslim Students in Southwestern Nigeria” was presented by Dr Busari Dauda of the University of Ilorin. Co-authored with Dr Alatise Remi Kasalla from Osogbo, provided an empirical view of how madrassas are shaping youth religious identity in the South-West amidst growing ideological influences from the Middle East.
Unlike the Northern context, madrassas in Ilorin, Ibadan, and Osogbo were found to be more structured, often registered with education ministries and integrated into Yoruba Islamic cultural life, Dr Dauda revealed.
However, the study noted that sectarian interests and prestige-seeking among madrassa founders contribute to the proliferation of ideologically driven schools. Economic motivations and cultural acceptance also play significant roles in their expansion.
Dauda, during his presentation, stressed that, while the study found no widespread evidence of violent radicalisation, it did highlight growing perceptions of global injustice among teenage students, particularly around issues like the Palestinian conflict and Western treatment of Muslims.
He said, these sentiments, amplified by digital media and foreign ideological narratives, shape how young Muslims interpret their religious and social identity.
Dauda emphasised that “extremism is not part of the curriculum, but ideological influences can filter in through sect-based teachings and global narratives of Muslim victimhood.”
WANEP Hosts National Briefing on Rising Concerns of Religious Radicalism
•Highlights risks of unregulated Madrassas in Nigeria
News
Army troops recover 70 rustled livestock after gun duel with bandits in Katsina
Army troops recover 70 rustled livestock after gun duel with bandits in Katsina
By: Zagazola Makama
Army troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA in Katsina have recovered 70 goats and several sheep after engaging suspected bandits in a fierce gun battle in Bakori Local Government Area of the state.
Sources indicated that the incident occurred on Oct. 25, 2025, at about 11:50 p.m., when armed men suspected to be bandits loyal to a notorious leader known as “Abaku Aiki” who reportedly distanced himself from the recent peace accord invaded Ganjar and Alhazawa, two remote villages under Bakori LGA.
The bandits reportedly kidnapped an unspecified number of residents and rustled several domestic animals during the attack.
The troops in collaboration with other security agencies intercepted the bandits at Laila Forest. A sustained exchange of gunfire ensued, forcing the criminals to abandon the stolen animals and flee into the forest.
The sources confirmed that 70 goats and some sheep were successfully recovered, while efforts are ongoing to track the fleeing bandits and rescue the abducted victims.
The troops assured residents of continuous patrol and collaboration with security agencies to ensure peace and stability in the area.
Army troops recover 70 rustled livestock after gun duel with bandits in Katsina
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