Written by: Mariam Idris
Climate and Sustainable Development Network participated in the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ)Nigeria Country Planning Workshop convened on May 5-8, 2025 at Amber residence Ikeja G.R.A, Lagos State, to evaluate the project’s progress and plan for Year 5.
This pivotal gathering marked a moment of reflection and forward-thinking for the AACJ consortium, a five-year strategic partnership (2021-2025) between the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), Oxfam Novib, Natural Justice, the African Youth Commission (AYC), the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
As the project nears its close, the workshop served as a crucible for evaluating progress, celebrating successes, and charting the path for Year 5 to ensure lasting impact.
For four years, the AACJ consortium in Nigeria has been a beacon for those most affected by the climate crisis: women, youth, and local and indigenous communities reliant on natural resources.
By weaving together, a vibrant tapestry of environmental activists, smallholder farmers, pastoralists, women’s groups, youth networks, and civil society organizations (CSOs), the consortium has amplified marginalized voices, fostered new alliances, and inspired collective action.
The workshop, hosted by the Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet), was a testament to this mission, bringing together consortium members to share lessons, address challenges, and strategize for maximum impact in 2025.
Therefore, as the project comes to an end, it is important that we take a stop, reflect on our success, challenges and opportunities, while making adequate plans to make maximum impact in the year 2025.
The AACJ Nigeria country-planning workshop is part of the broader strategy to strengthen coordination, partnership within consortium members in Nigeria thereby guaranteeing a more impactful work across our communities.
Objectives of the AACJ Nigeria Country Planning Workshop delivered by Mr. Kenneth Akpan
Mr. Kenneth Akpan, the AACJ Project Lead Coordinator, opened the workshop with a stirring goodwill message.
He acknowledged the logistical hurdles faced, such as flight purchase issues that disrupted implementation, but praised the collaborative spirit that prevailed exemplified by Natural Justice’s swift intervention.
However, he urged partners to move beyond siloed efforts, emphasizing that AACJ is “one project” with a shared vision.
Looking ahead, Akpan envisioned the lessons from this initiative paving the way for a potential “AACJ 2.0,” securing future opportunities for climate justice advocacy.
Mr. Umoru Ameh, Finance Officer at CSDevNet, representing National Network Coordinator Mr. Abu Stephen, lauded Oxfam’s “seemingly magical” ability to convene such impactful gatherings.
He highlighted AACJ’s role in sparking widespread discussions on climate justice across Nigerian communities, despite funding constraints.
Ameh encouraged partners not to be disheartened by under-reported activities, expressing optimism that the consortium’s work would speak for itself and inspire improved coordination in the future.
He acknowledged the funding constraints but lauded all the efforts made, expressing hope that our work would speak for itself in the future and that the consortium would experience improved coordination. He concluded by wishing everyone fruitful deliberations.
Miss Mariam Idris, Programme Assistant at CSDevNet, illuminated CSDevNet’s achievements in 2024, showcasing the tangible impact of AACJ’s work which includes:
Apiculture Training in Kaduna State: Smallholder farmers were trained in beekeeping to promote biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods.
Environmental Rights Workshops in Kogi State: Capacity-building sessions empowered women and youth in a flood-prone region to advocate for environmental accountability.
Keep-Your-Promise Campaign: This initiative led to two landmark decisions at the Federal University Lokoja mandatory tree planting for new students as a graduation requirement and the inclusion of tree planting in faculty award criteria, with the Faculty of Science leading the charge.
Briquette-Making in Niger State: Over 300 women in marginalized communities were trained to produce briquettes as an alternative fuel source, fostering economic empowerment and sustainable energy practices.
Gender Equality and Youth Empowerment: AACJ enhanced women’s participation in sustainable agriculture and engaged media partners to amplify climate justice campaigns.
These successes, Idris noted, underscore the power of collective action, but she stressed that “collaborative effort is needed to achieve a greater impact beyond the AACJ project as communities still need intervention for sustainable development.”
The workshop’s objectives, articulated by Akpan, centered on galvanizing the consortium to share four years of learning and strategically plan for advocacy, influencing, and capacity building in 2025.
As AACJ’s scope has expanded, streamlined coordination and delivery mechanisms are critical to achieving its ambitious climate justice goals.
The workshop proposed a bold vision for the project’s closeout event, designed to ensure the consortium’s legacy endures:
Next Steps
Suggestions for the Closeout Project:
- Explore the possibility of an exhibition booth for private sector participation and engagement
- Enable partners to display their achievements through visuals (pictures) and reports, offering an alternative to individual booths
- Introduce fireside conversations during the event to facilitate in-depth discussions about the project’s work
- Issue a general invitation for individuals and other foundations to exhibit, followed by a shortlisting process
- Explore bringing the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) on board
- Strategise the registration and launch of a revitalised AACJ Nigeria consortium at the closeout event to ensure continued dialogue, engagement, and commitment
- Establish a small steering committee comprising one representative from each implementing organisation to manage the coalition.
- Identify potential funding organizations to support the ongoing work
- Focus event attendees on individuals and organisations with a proven track record of supporting related work
- Consider reducing the guest allocation for government stakeholders
- Structure the closeout event with the explicit aim of securing funds to support the revitalised consortium’s activities for the next four years
- Allocate a portion of the closeout funds to support the initial operational activities of the reborn consortium, ensuring a smooth transition and leveraging established connections.
ACTION STEPS:
Accountability Framework Project: Natural Justice and HEDA to initiate the Accountability Framework project. This will serve as the foundation for the WED25 ecological fund campaign
COP30 Planning: That COP30 is tentatively scheduled for late October or early November (10th-21st)
World Environment Day/ The Ecological Fund Research:
Partners in the WED project to develop strategies to promote transparency at the state and local levels and facilitate community engagement to mirror federal government accountability efforts
That the WED Campaign focuses on states in the high-risk zones.
That Joseph (GIFSEP) be integrated into the project planning and explore collaborative approaches. Natural Justice has allocated a budget for this activity, and other partners were encouraged to participate
On the committee formation and communication strategy, Mayowa, Maxwell, Mariam, Joseph, Mr. Arigbabu, and Mr. Michael were appointed as committee members. While Maxwell was tasked with creating a WhatsApp group, also including Mr. Kenneth, to facilitate communication
The project is slated to begin within two weeks upon receipt of funds.
AACJ Result Framework:
Partners are to look at the result frameworks and see where improvements
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Forming concrete external partnerships as a consortium i.e. finding, leveraging and strengthening momentum between organisations with similar goals as the AACJ project
- Partners should properly do outcome harvesting to streamline the outcomes and properly report
- Partners are to come up with individual documentaries for the project closeout, which sums up to the one story telling narrative from different angles. This should factor the picture quality and other agreed parameters to help the footage come out better
- Partners can collaborate on the Climate caravan which can hold simultaneously in Lagos and Abuja
- Partners can leverage opportunities with areas around trainings for PWDs (GIFSEP)
- Partners were advised not to make promises when getting informed consent
- That the closeout panel session merges Pathways 1 and 2, the pathways 4 and 5 for joint narrative report, while pathway 3 stands alone
- Partners were advised to develop their narrative reporting using the yearly narrative reports to build the documentary
- Partners are to gather case studies through fieldwork, which will be shared with Oxfam
- Partners are to ensure that advocacies are stronger at the grassroots level.
Closing Remark: The closing remark was delivered by Mr. Arigbabu Sulaimon from HEDA, congratulating all partners and reiterating that likely potential for the renewal of the AACJ project
Closing: The meeting ended at 3:55pm on Wednesday, the 7th of May 2025.