Fatima Naibbi

Nigerian environmental activist leading community-based reforestation in the Sahel

Fatima Naibbi (b.1975) is a pioneering environmentalist from Nigeria whose grassroots efforts have turned the tide against desertification in the Sahel region. As founder of Green Hands Initiative, she mobilized local communities to plant over 10 million trees since 2005, creating living barriers against advancing desert sands. Her innovative Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration technique revives native species like baobab and acacia through traditional knowledge combined with modern agroforestry practices. Naibbi's work in northern Nigeria has increased crop yields by 40% while empowering women through tree nurseries that provide income from fruit and medicinal plant sales. She developed the Climate Resilience Toolkit, a mobile app now used across 15 African countries to track environmental data. A UN Environment Programme (UNEP) laureate, Naibbi's TED Talk "How Women Are Combating Desertification" has inspired global action. Her advocacy led to Nigeria's 2017 National Reforestation Policy, and she co-founded the Sahel Green Alliance uniting 10 countries in ecological restoration efforts.