On assumption of office in 2022, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra inherited more than a state in need of development. He inherited an ecological emergency.
According to the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, with over 1,000 active erosion sites, flooding that displaced entire communities, a broken waste system, and air quality so poor that Onitsha was once ranked the most polluted city in the world, Anambra was crying out for environmental redemption.
Three years later, the cry is being answered, with policies, partnerships, and purposeful action, and Soludo’s environmental agenda is at the very core of his vision for a clean, green, livable Anambra.
Aburime stated that Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi, and Okpoko, once clogged by towering heaps of refuse, have been reborn.
He said one of Governor Soludo’s first acts in office was to declare a State of Emergency on the Environment, and with boots on the ground, he and his deputy personally supervised the clearance of mountains of garbage.
“Take Ochanja Roundabout, for example. Once a symbol of urban decay and neglect, it has been transformed into a functional public space complete with a water fountain. It is much a visual upgrade than it is of a psychological one, and residents now walk with dignity in streets that were once overrun with filth,” he explained.
The previous centralised waste collection system was slow, inefficient, and grossly ineffective. Today, waste management is decentralised to the local governments, allowing for quicker turnarounds, local enforcement, and more responsive clean-up efforts.
As pointed out, the results speak volumes. In 2024, Anambra was ranked among Nigeria’s 10 cleanest states by the Clean Up Nigeria environmental performance index. From stench to status, that is what transformational leadership looks like.
In the battle against climate change, Governor Soludo’s administration has embraced a simple but powerful weapon: the planting of trees. Over the past three years, the state has committed to planting over 1 million trees annually, targeting erosion-prone areas and depleted forest zones.
Every one of Anambra’s 179 communities has been touched by this green wave. In partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, federal agencies, and global partners, this reforestation drive is beautifying the landscape as well as rebalancing the ecosystem.
The environmental agenda goes beyond trees. It is also a solar-powered revolution. Over 26,000 diesel streetlights have been converted to solar. Government buildings, hospitals, and courts now rely on clean, renewable energy sources. This dual-purpose initiative addresses both climate emissions and energy poverty, aligning with global best practices and contributing to a more sustainable and self-sufficient energy grid in Anambra.
With over 40% of Anambra’s land area degraded by erosion, the scale of the challenge is staggering. Yet, Governor Soludo’s administration has responded with equal urgency and precision.
Through the newly established Anambra State Erosion, Watershed and Climate Change Agency, numerous high-risk sites have received life-saving interventions. These include Nkpor-Ideani erosion site, Ozubulu road-cut, Ezioko-Oko site, Milatel site in Awka, Agulu-Awka/Paul University erosion corridor, Awgbu-Amokpala gully, Cosmetics Market flood basin in Nkpor, and the heavily flooded Ekwulobia zone.
These sites, which were once ticking time bombs, are now stabilised through afforestation, slope reengineering, drainage desilting, and silt traps.
Governor Soludo’s environmental blueprint thus combines engineering expertise with ecological wisdom. In flood-prone areas, the administration has conducted statewide desilting of drainage systems. These efforts have significantly mitigated flash floods, particularly during the long and intense rainy seasons.
Now, roads remain open, businesses stay afloat, and families are spared displacement.
In 2024, Anambra passed one of the most comprehensive environmental laws in Nigeria’s sub-national space, namely the Anambra State Environmental Management, Protection, and Administrative Law. This groundbreaking legislation enshrines key reforms, including: Prohibiting unauthorised soil excavation; Mandatory environmental and social safety assessments for major projects; Regulated waste disposal standards for urban and rural areas; Minimum environmental benchmarks for markets, abattoirs, estates, and parks; Mandatory tree-planting obligations for new developments; and Penalties for erosion-promoting practices and deforestation. This is environmental governance in action.
Governor Soludo’s vision of a “livable homeland” rests heavily on environmental sustainability. That is why every new policy, whether in infrastructure, housing, energy, or agriculture, is being designed with eco-consciousness in mind. The state is also cultivating a new generation of eco-conscious citizens through school-based environmental education, community engagement, and public sensitisation.
In Anambra today, sustainability is no longer the job of the Ministry of Environment; it is the mindset of a movement.
Aburime added that in a state once overwhelmed by erosion, pollution, and environmental neglect, Soludo is orchestrating a green renaissance. His administration has shifted Anambra’s environmental narrative, from reaction to regeneration, from disorder to discipline, from decay to dignity. With every cleaned street, every planted tree, every tamed flood, and every solar panel installed, Governor Soludo is doing something exceptional in Nigerian governance: he is healing the land.
