By Eunice Nnachi, Yenagoa
In a decisive move to combat climate change and promote environmental stewardship, Hensard University, in partnership with the Climate and Sustainable Development Network of Nigeria (CSDevNet) and the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the weekend
The agreement aims to empower community women and youths of Toru-Orua community through capacity building focused on mangrove restoration in the Niger Delta region.
The signing ceremony took place alongside a capacity-building workshop held at Hensard University, designed to equip local women and university students with practical skills in mangrove restoration, climate adaptation, and sustainable resource management.
The initiative reflects a shared commitment to bridging the gap between academic knowledge and real-world environmental challenges, with a focus on the ecological and socioeconomic importance of mangroves to the Toru-Orua community.
Mangroves are critical ecosystems that support biodiversity, protect coastlines, and sequester carbon, while also sustaining local livelihoods such as fishing and small-scale trade.
Recognizing this, the MoU outlines a framework for collaboration that includes hands-on training, joint research on climate finance and sustainable energy, youth and women empowerment through leadership development, and coordinated advocacy aligned with Nigeria’s climate goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Professor Dileep Kumar, Vice-Chancellor of Hensard University, expressed optimism about the partnership’s potential impact: “This collaboration is a milestone. We want to engage our students not only in academic excellence but also in social causes that protect our environment.”
Represented by Prof. Femi Shaka, Dean Communication and Media Studies, Hensard University said, “this Capacity Building Workshop on Mangrove Restoration, in hopes that through this workshop, we open new doors of opportunity to our participants.
He emphasized the university’s commitment to integrating climate action into its academic programs to nurture future environmental advocates.
Mr. Abuh Monday Stephen, National Network Coordinator of CSDevNet, underscored the partnership’s result-oriented approach: “We will not just celebrate the signing of the MoU; we will soon celebrate the tangible results it produces.
“The lecture came following the Memorandum of Understanding MoU signed by Hensard University yesterday. It is part of our ongoing effort in this Niger Delta to do what we call Mangrove restoration. These are initiatives that are ongoing at Akwa Ibom state and Cross River state, and we are trying to raise ambassadors from students of this University who champions the course of Mangrove restoration Niger Delta region.
“We have also had this workshop with community women, because we know for a development to become sustainable, you must harness the capacity of community women and young people , on how they can collaborate to make this initiative very successful .
“He expressed satisfaction on the part of the participants with so much zeal. “We see the passion of the young people already making plans to embark on this initiative. See the community showing their excitement to drive this mangrove restoration. It is a success to us already, seeing all the stakeholders in this workshop are ready to work in this common goal.”
He praised Hensard University for its openness and readiness to collaborate.
The workshop and partnership also highlight the vital role of women and youth in driving sustainable development. By fostering leadership skills and green entrepreneurship, the initiative aims to create a new generation of climate champions in the Niger Delta.
Community enthusiasm was palpable, with participants showing eagerness to apply their newly acquired knowledge to restore a pilot 0.5-hectare mangrove site. This pilot project is expected to serve as a model for broader restoration efforts across the region.
This collaboration comes amid growing national and regional calls for urgent action to conserve Nigeria’s mangrove forests, which are among the largest in Africa but face severe threats from human activities and climate change. The National Council on Climate Change and other stakeholders have emphasized the need for sustainable mangrove conservation as part of Nigeria’s climate resilience strategy.
By combining the technical expertise and grassroots networks of CSDevNet and PACJA with Hensard University’s academic platform and youth engagement, this partnership sets a precedent for inclusive, scalable environmental initiatives in Nigeria.
Together, these stakeholders are planting the seeds for a greener, more resilient Niger Delta – one mangrove, one community, and one empowered youth at a time.
Highlights of the events were the planting of trees by all the stakeholders and participants.
