EcoCare Initiative leader Abdullahi Sani tells DNE Africa that African young people must move beyond attending international climate conferences to influencing decisions, while highlighting the importance of grassroots environmental action.
Abdullahi Sani, a third-year Law student at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, Nigeria, is leading the youth-driven EcoCare Initiative, which seeks to turn environmental awareness into practical action through tree planting, clean-up campaigns, waste management and climate education.
The initiative has planted around 200 trees across the university community and has a broader target of 500 trees. It has also received support from the Kaduna State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, alongside partnerships with environmental organisations and other stakeholders.
In an exclusive interview with DNE Africa on the sidelines of COP31, taking place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026, Sani discussed EcoCare’s achievements, the challenges facing grassroots environmental initiatives and the role African youth should play in shaping the continent’s climate agenda.
He also called for more meaningful youth representation in international climate negotiations, stressing that African young people should be recognised not merely as participants but as partners in developing and implementing climate solutions.
What inspired you to establish or lead the EcoCare Initiative, and what environmental challenges within the university community were you hoping to address?
EcoCare originated from an idea put forward by some of my seniors at the university. It was driven by a simple but important realisation: environmental sustainability must go beyond conversations, seminars and awareness campaigns. Educating people about climate change, pollution and environmental degradation is important, but that knowledge becomes more meaningful when people can see and participate in practical solutions.
Through the Energy and Environmental Law Club (EELC) at Ahmadu Bello University, we recognised the need to encourage students to take greater responsibility for their immediate environment. Our university community, like many growing institutional environments, faces challenges related to waste disposal, plastic pollution, limited environmental awareness and the need for more green spaces.
We therefore saw an opportunity to bring environmental education and practical action together.
EcoCare was developed as a student-led environmental initiative combining campus cleanliness, tree planting, waste management and environmental education. Our objective was not simply to organise one-day environmental activities, but to foster a lasting culture of environmental responsibility among students.
For me, the initiative reflects an important principle: young people should not wait until they occupy positions of authority before contributing to environmental solutions.
EcoCare has reportedly planted around 200 trees and has a broader target of 500. Could you provide an update on this effort, including the locations involved and how you monitor the trees’ survival and long-term impact?
Tree planting is one of EcoCare’s major activities because environmental restoration requires more than responding to existing pollution. It also means investing in the future of our environment.
Through our engagement with the Kaduna State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, we received support in the form of tree seedlings, including a documented donation of 152 economic trees. This institutional support strengthened our commitment to expanding our environmental restoration activities.
Our broader ambition is to work towards planting 500 trees, with activities focused on ABU’s Zaria Kongo Campus and opportunities for expansion into surrounding communities.
However, we recognise that the success of a tree-planting campaign should not be measured solely by the number of seedlings planted. Survival rates, maintenance, watering, protection and long-term monitoring are equally important.
We are particularly interested in developing a more structured monitoring system to document planting locations, assess survival rates and encourage students to take responsibility for maintaining the trees.
Ultimately, our ambition is to make tree planting a sustained environmental commitment rather than an occasional campaign.
How does EcoCare encourage students and other young people to move beyond climate awareness and become actively involved in environmental protection and restoration?
One of the biggest challenges in youth environmental advocacy is bridging the gap between awareness and participation. Many young people understand that climate change is happening, but they do not always recognise how their everyday decisions and immediate actions can contribute to addressing it.
At EcoCare, we make environmental protection practical, accessible and participatory.
Rather than limiting students to attending presentations, we encourage them to take part in environmental clean-ups, tree planting, waste management and community awareness campaigns. These activities allow young people to experience environmental action directly and understand that their contributions matter.
We also believe students should be given responsibilities rather than treated merely as participants. When young people help organise campaigns, mobilise volunteers and engage institutional stakeholders, they develop leadership, accountability and problem-solving skills.
Through the Energy and Environmental Law Club, we can also connect environmental sustainability with legal awareness, institutional responsibility and civic engagement.
We should not simply tell young people to save the environment. We should create opportunities for them to participate in doing so.
What role does climate education play in EcoCare’s activities, and how do you make environmental issues relevant and understandable to young people and local communities?
Climate education is central to EcoCare because meaningful environmental action must be supported by knowledge and understanding.
We do not want students to participate in tree planting or environmental clean-ups without understanding why these activities matter. Tree planting, for instance, should not be viewed merely as a way to beautify a university environment. It is also connected to carbon sequestration, biodiversity protection, soil conservation, improved environmental quality and climate resilience.
Similarly, waste management is not simply about removing plastics from our surroundings. It also involves understanding consumption patterns, the consequences of improper disposal and the importance of responsible resource management.
Our approach is to connect these broader environmental concepts to issues people encounter in their everyday lives. We communicate environmental concerns through practical activities and accessible engagement rather than relying exclusively on technical climate terminology.
Operating within a university also gives us an opportunity to encourage students from different academic disciplines to understand their roles in environmental protection.
Ultimately, we want climate education to produce informed individuals who can make responsible decisions, influence their communities and contribute to sustainable development.
What are the main challenges facing EcoCare, particularly in terms of funding, resources, institutional support and sustaining volunteers? What partnerships would help the initiative expand its activities?
Like many grassroots and youth-led environmental initiatives, one of our main challenges is securing adequate and sustainable resources.
Environmental projects require more than enthusiasm. Tree planting requires seedlings, watering arrangements and maintenance. Clean-up campaigns need protective equipment, waste collection materials, transportation and proper disposal arrangements. Environmental education also requires resources to reach wider audiences.
We have benefited from institutional engagement, particularly the support of the Kaduna State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, which provided tree seedlings. We also have partnerships with Plogging Nigeria, Ahmadu Bello University and other organisations.
However, sustaining these activities beyond individual campaigns remains a priority. Maintaining volunteer engagement can also be difficult when young people lack adequate resources, clearly defined responsibilities and opportunities to see the long-term results of their efforts.
We would welcome partnerships with environmental organisations, private-sector companies, development institutions, universities and organisations working in climate finance and environmental restoration.
Our needs extend beyond financial donations. Technical expertise, monitoring support, environmental education materials, equipment and institutional partnerships are equally important.
We believe investing in youth-led environmental initiatives is an investment in long-term community resilience.
How can youth-led initiatives such as EcoCare contribute to addressing Africa’s major environmental challenges, including deforestation, land degradation, pollution and the effects of climate change on local communities?
Africa’s environmental challenges are interconnected, and addressing them requires action at different levels. While national governments and international institutions have important responsibilities, local communities and young people must also be part of the solution.
Youth-led initiatives can help translate broader environmental priorities into practical activities within communities. Tree planting, for example, can contribute to environmental restoration and improve local conditions when appropriate species are selected and properly maintained. Clean-up campaigns and waste management activities can help address pollution, while environmental education can encourage more responsible behaviour.
However, we must also recognise the importance of local knowledge. Environmental interventions should respond to the realities of the communities where they are implemented. Tree-planting projects should consider local ecological conditions, suitable species and long-term maintenance rather than focusing solely on numerical targets.
EcoCare demonstrates how young people can begin addressing environmental challenges within a university community and potentially extend their engagement beyond it.
For Africa, the opportunity is to move beyond treating young people merely as beneficiaries of environmental programmes and recognise them as partners, innovators and implementers of environmental solutions.
EcoCare’s work is linked to the African Union’s Agenda 2063 Aspirations 1 and 6, as well as Sustainable Development Goals 4, 13 and 15. How does the initiative translate these broader development goals into practical action at the community level?
The connection between EcoCare and these development frameworks is important because it demonstrates how global and continental commitments can be translated into local action.
African Union Agenda 2063 Aspiration 1 envisions a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development, while Aspiration 6 focuses on development driven by African people, particularly women and young people.
At the community level, our environmental restoration and waste management activities contribute to the broader objective of sustainable development. Our youth engagement also reflects the importance of giving young Africans opportunities to participate in shaping their communities.
Similarly, Sustainable Development Goal 4 is relevant through environmental education and awareness; SDG 13 through climate action; and SDG 15 through tree planting, land restoration and the protection of terrestrial ecosystems.
What matters to us is that these frameworks should not remain policy documents that people encounter only during international conferences.
When a student participates in environmental education, volunteers organise a clean-up campaign or a community takes part in tree planting, these are practical expressions of sustainable development.
Our ambition is to make these global commitments understandable and actionable at the grassroots level.
With COP31 currently underway in Antalya, how can African young people play a more influential role in shaping climate negotiations and decisions? What key priorities should they raise, particularly regarding climate finance, adaptation and environmental protection?
COP31 presents an important opportunity for African young people to move beyond simply attending international climate conferences and become active contributors to the decisions being negotiated.
African youth should use the ongoing discussions to communicate the realities of their communities and advocate for climate policies that respond to the continent’s development needs.
One of the priorities I believe young Africans should raise is climate finance. Africa has contributed a relatively small share of historical global greenhouse gas emissions but faces significant climate vulnerabilities. We therefore need climate finance that is accessible, predictable, transparent and responsive to the needs of developing countries.
Adaptation should also receive greater attention. Communities facing flooding, drought, desertification, food insecurity and other climate-related challenges need practical support to strengthen their resilience.
Environmental protection must remain central, particularly in relation to deforestation, land degradation, pollution and the sustainable management of natural resources.
I would also emphasise the importance of a just transition that recognises Africa’s development realities, energy access needs and economic priorities.
Young Africans should organise, develop evidence-based policy recommendations and engage with negotiating institutions before, during and after COP31. Our participation must translate into influence, accountability and measurable outcomes.
Do African young people have sufficient opportunities to participate in international climate negotiations and influence policy decisions? What should African governments, the African Union and international partners do to strengthen their representation and ensure their recommendations are reflected in climate decisions?
Opportunities for African youth to participate in international climate discussions have improved, but meaningful representation remains a challenge.
There is an important distinction between inviting young people to attend conferences and giving them genuine opportunities to influence decisions. Participation should not be measured simply by the number of youth delegates present at international meetings. We should also ask whether their recommendations are considered, whether they have access to negotiating spaces and whether they can contribute to policy development.
African governments and the African Union should strengthen structured youth engagement mechanisms that allow young people to participate in climate policy consultations and decision-making processes.
International partners should also invest in capacity-building, technical training, research opportunities and financial support to enable youth organisations to participate meaningfully.
Furthermore, representation must be inclusive. Young people from rural communities, indigenous populations, vulnerable regions and grassroots environmental organisations should not be excluded because they lack the financial resources or institutional connections required to attend international conferences.
African youth have valuable knowledge and practical experience. The challenge is to create systems that recognise this knowledge and translate it into meaningful policy influence.
What are EcoCare’s priorities for the coming years? Do you plan to expand the initiative beyond the university community, and what message would you give to other young Africans who want to take action on climate change?
Our immediate priority is to strengthen EcoCare’s activities within Ahmadu Bello University, particularly in environmental restoration, tree planting, waste management, campus cleanliness and climate education.
We also see opportunities to extend our engagement beyond the university. Previous discussions about possible community-level interventions, including in Gyaellesu Community, reflect our interest in making environmental action more inclusive and community-oriented.
Going forward, we would like to strengthen partnerships with environmental institutions, local organisations, government agencies and private-sector stakeholders. We also want to improve the monitoring of our activities so that we can demonstrate not only what we have organised but also the environmental impact we have achieved.
To young Africans who want to take action on climate change, my message is simple: start where you are.
You do not need to establish a large organisation or wait for international recognition before making a difference. You can begin by addressing waste in your neighbourhood, educating your peers, participating in restoration activities or organising a small environmental campaign.
The important thing is to move from concern to action. Africa needs young people who are willing to take responsibility for the future they want to see.
