By Emem Nsini-Godwin
The Community Category of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Green Nigeria Challenge has closed without receiving any significant entries, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has announced.
The category, which offered a grand prize of ₦50 million, officially closed on July 15, 2026, after failing to attract qualifying submissions from communities across the country.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, the First Lady expressed disappointment over the outcome, revealing that the initiative did not record any entry that met the required standard.
“Unfortunately, no significant entry was received,” she stated.
The Community Category was introduced to encourage local governments, communities, youth organisations, schools, and non-governmental organisations across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to reclaim degraded environments by transforming dumpsites, landfills, abandoned spaces, and other neglected areas into parks, gardens, and environmentally sustainable public spaces.
Despite the disappointing outcome, Senator Tinubu commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, for the remodelling of the Abuja City Gate, describing the project as a model of the type of environmental transformation the competition was established to promote.
“I commend the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, His Excellency, Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, CON, for remodelling the Abuja City Gate, which has become a notable landmark and a clear example of the kind of environmental transformation the Community Category was designed to promote,” she said.
The First Lady also urged state governments to emulate such initiatives by investing in cleaner and greener communities, strengthening waste management systems, and ensuring drainage channels remain free of plastic waste and other obstructions to reduce the risk of 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.
Although the Community Category has concluded, Senator Tinubu disclosed that the Household and State categories of the Green Nigeria Challenge remain open until December 20, 2026, encouraging eligible participants to take advantage of the opportunity.
“The Household and State categories of the Green Nigeria Challenge remain open until December 20, 2026. We encourage households and states to participate. Entries should be submitted through the Office of the First Lady in the respective states,” she said.
According to the guidelines, the Household Category is open exclusively to households in the 10 frontline northern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara. The category offers a ₦20 million prize for outstanding household tree-planting initiatives.
The State Category, which carries a ₦100 million prize, is open to all states except Enugu, which has already been designated as the Renewed Hope Initiative’s Model Green State.
The RHI Green Nigeria Challenge is a flagship environmental initiative championed by the First Lady to promote nationwide tree planting, restore degraded landscapes, improve environmental sustainability, and encourage active community participation in the fight against climate change.
The programme forms part of the Renewed Hope Initiative’s broader commitment to environmental conservation and climate resilience, with the goal of fostering a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Nigeria.
