By Joy Yesufu
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has disclosed that the Community Category of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Green Nigeria Challenge ended without attracting any significant entries, despite offering a ₦50 million prize for environmental restoration projects.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mrs Tinubu said the category, which officially closed on July 15, 2026, was designed to encourage communities to transform degraded public spaces, including dumpsites, landfills and abandoned areas, into green parks, gardens and other environmentally sustainable spaces.
“Unfortunately, no significant entry was received,” the First Lady said.
Despite the disappointing outcome, Tinubu commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for the remodelling of the Abuja City Gate, describing the project as a practical example of the kind of environmental transformation the competition was created to promote.
“I commend the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, His Excellency Barrister Nyesom Wike, for remodelling the Abuja City Gate, which has become a notable landmark and a clear example of the environmental transformation the Community Category was designed to promote,” she said.
The First Lady urged state governments to replicate similar environmental initiatives by investing in cleaner and greener communities, improving waste management systems and ensuring drainage channels remain free of plastic waste and other obstructions to minimise flooding.
“I encourage other states to emulate this example by investing in cleaner, greener communities, ensuring proper waste disposal and keeping drainage channels free of plastic waste and other obstructions to help prevent flooding,” she added.
Tinubu noted that the Household and State categories of the Green Nigeria Challenge remain open until December 20, 2026, and encouraged eligible participants to submit their entries through the Offices of the First Ladies in their respective states.
According to her, the Household Category is open to households in the 10 frontline northern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara, with a ₦20 million prize for outstanding tree-planting initiatives.
The State Category, open to all states except Enugu, which has already been recognised as the RHI’s Model Green State, offers a ₦100 million prize for exceptional state-wide tree-planting and environmental restoration efforts.
The Renewed Hope Initiative Green Nigeria Challenge, launched under the leadership of the First Lady, is a nationwide environmental campaign aimed at promoting tree planting, ecological restoration and climate resilience across the country.
