The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has expressed disappointment that the Community Category of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Green Nigeria Challenge closed on July 15 without receiving any significant entries.
The competition offered a ₦50 million prize for the best community project aimed at transforming degraded spaces like dumpsites into eco-friendly parks.
The First Lady, who launched the competition to convert dumpsites, landfills and abandoned lots into parks, gardens and other eco‑friendly spaces, said she regretted the low response from communities across the country.
“We regret to report that no significant entry was received,” she said in a statement on Tuesday.
Mrs Tinubu used the announcement to lament the shortfall and highlight positive examples of environmental transformation.
“I commend the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, 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 urged states and local communities to take the Abuja project as a model, stressing the practical steps needed to improve neighbourhoods and prevent 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.
She noted that the Household and State categories of the project remain open and called for wider participation.
“We encourage households and states to participate,” she said.
She reminded would‑be entrants that the deadline for those categories is December 20 and that submissions should be made through the Office of the First Lady in the respective states.
