Civil Society Organisations Launch Climate Justice Movement to Tackle Environmental Injustice in Nigeria

Over 40 civil society organisations (CSOs), spearheaded by Greenpeace Africa, have officially launched the Climate Justice Movement (CJM) in Nigeria to confront widespread environmental degradation, corporate impunity, and the unequal burden of climate change on African communities. The movement was unveiled in Abuja on Monday, marking a new chapter in Nigeria’s environmental advocacy space. The CJM aims to consolidate fragmented efforts among activists and communities into a unified campaign that prioritises justice for those most affected by climate change. The movement is also positioned to amplify Africa’s voice in global climate discussions and challenge policies and practices that undermine environmental sustainability on the continent.

Murtala Touray, Programme Director at Greenpeace Africa, described the movement as a timely response to the shrinking civil society space in Nigeria and the unchecked power of corporations. “We are witnessing destruction that fuels corporate profits while communities bear the brunt,” he said. “We demand reparations, land restoration, and the establishment of a climate finance fund to support affected communities.” The CJM sets out to hold multinational corporations and policymakers accountable for environmental degradation, particularly within Nigeria’s extractive industries, such as oil and gas. At the launch, Greenpeace Africa’s Oil and Gas Campaigner, Sherelee Odayar, criticized oil giants like Shell for amassing billions in profits while leaving communities in the Niger Delta devastated. “They have extracted wealth and left behind ecological ruins and broken livelihoods,” she said.

Cynthia Moyo, Climate and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, highlighted the urgency of systemic action in the face of worsening climate-related disasters. She cited intensified flooding in the Niger Delta and advancing desertification in northern Nigeria as direct consequences of poor environmental policies. “This movement is about a just transition rooted in African realities and firmly opposed to false solutions like carbon trading,” she declared. The devastating impacts of climate change on food security were also underscored. Elizabeth Atieno, Food Security Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, referenced the floods that occurred between July and October 2024, which affected 34 states, displaced millions, and caused over 300 deaths. She also recalled the 2022 floods, which were even deadlier, claiming more than 600 lives and destroying hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland. “These floods are not just natural disasters—they are the result of policy failures and environmental neglect,” Atieno stated.

Ogunlade Olamide Martins, Associate Director for Climate Change at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), called the CJM a “turning point” for grassroots activism. He noted that despite facing shared environmental threats, community struggles have remained largely disjointed until now. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Muhammad Shamsuddin, program manager at Yanayl Haki Afriqya, emphasized the critical role of Nigeria’s youth in driving the movement forward. “We refuse to inherit a country where profits are prioritized over people and the planet,” he said. “This movement is our collective pledge to transform environmental advocacy into a force that guarantees a safe and just future for all.”