UBA Foundation has planted 100 trees across two secondary schools in Lagos as part of activities commemorating World Environment Day, reinforcing its commitment to environmental sustainability and climate awareness among young people.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, while speaking during a tree-planting exercise at CMS Grammar School, Lagos, on Friday, said the initiative was designed to encourage environmental responsibility and sustainability among students.
The 2026 World Environment Day theme, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future,” comes against the backdrop of increasing climate-related challenges worldwide, including rising temperatures, floods and sea-level rise.
According to Atta, the foundation planted 50 trees at CMS Grammar School after carrying out a similar exercise at King’s College Lagos, bringing the total number of trees planted to 100.
“Today, on World Environment Day, we are taking the initiative to plant about 100 trees in schools in Nigeria. We have decided on two schools today. The first one we visited was King’s College, and we are here now at CMS Grammar School,” she said.
Atta explained that the programme, which began about three years ago, aims to educate students on environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles while promoting sustainable practices.
She stressed that protecting the environment requires collaboration among governments, private organisations, educational institutions and individuals.
“We want young people to understand that the environment needs help. We want to produce fewer toxins and build more things that will give us oxygen for life,” Atta said.
“It is a collective mission. It is not just us as a foundation or the UBA Group as a private enterprise. Government, private individuals and educational institutions all have a role to play.”
The UBA Foundation CEO noted that rapid urbanisation and infrastructure development have contributed to the loss of green spaces in many cities, making tree-planting initiatives increasingly important.
“Development became more important than trees over the years. Trees were cut down and green spaces were eradicated in some urban centres. But there is no time like today to start making a difference,” she added.
Explaining the choice of schools, Atta said both institutions were selected because of their rich history and their capacity to nurture and maintain the trees.
“These are notable institutions. One is over 100 years old and the other is the first missionary school in Nigeria. We also wanted schools where we know the trees will be maintained and allowed to grow,” she said.
She added that the foundation’s interventions remain focused on three key areas: education, environmental sustainability and empowerment.
Speaking at the event, the Principal of CMS Grammar School, Jacob Ogunyenka, commended the UBA Foundation for selecting the school for the exercise.
“Today is a great day in our school. We welcome the CEO of UBA Foundation and the team for coming to celebrate World Environment Day with us through tree planting,” Ogunyenka said.
“They have selected beautiful trees that will help make our environment more environmentally friendly, increase oxygen production and preserve our green areas.”
He noted that the initiative provided students with practical exposure to environmental conservation beyond what they learn in the classroom and expressed optimism that it would inspire greater environmental responsibility among the students.
