Eko EnviroTalk has graduated 28 young people from the 2026 cohort of its Young Leaders for Sustainable Environment Programme (YLSEP), equipping participants with knowledge and practical skills to promote environmental protection and sustainability in their schools and communities.
The second cohort of the programme, which ran from August 17 to 22, 2026, brought together participants aged between 13 and 28 under the theme, “Ocean Heroes, Guardians of the Blue.” The programme focused on ocean conservation, environmental protection and practical approaches to addressing environmental challenges.
The organisers said the initiative was designed as an immersive environmental education and leadership programme through which young people could develop the knowledge, tools and confidence required to become advocates for sustainable environmental practices.
The programme combined virtual learning with practical exposure, allowing participants to move beyond classroom-based discussions and observe how environmental sustainability principles are applied in real-world settings.
As part of the activities, the participants embarked on a boat tour of the Lagos Lagoon, providing an opportunity to apply lessons from their virtual sessions while gaining first-hand understanding of the importance of protecting waterways and marine ecosystems. They also visited the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, where they interacted with experts and learnt more about marine science and the protection of aquatic resources.
The closing ceremony also featured an environmental sustainability tour and tree-planting exercise at Gracefield Island, a proposed 200-hectare mixed-use development in Lagos.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Programme Manager of Eko EnviroTalk, Miss ‘Wande Seriki, urged the participants to transform the knowledge acquired during the programme into practical action within their communities.
Seriki encouraged the young environmental advocates to use the networks and relationships established during the programme to create opportunities and sustain environmental initiatives beyond the end of the training.
She challenged the participants to live up to the programme’s “Ocean Heroes” theme by taking responsibility for protecting the environment and ensuring that future generations inherit healthier ecosystems.
The Director of the International Ocean Institute Nigeria Centre, Williams Akanbi, also urged the participants to become active environmental advocates, particularly within their schools and communities.
Akanbi encouraged the young people to examine the challenges facing Nigeria’s waterways and identify practical ways of reducing pollution and protecting marine life. He also stressed the need for greater environmental awareness and positive behavioural change.
The Assistant Manager, Health, Safety and Environmental Sustainability at Gracefield Island, Oreoluwa Babajide, said environmental responsibility should begin with individuals.
Representing the organisation’s Managing Director, Babajide emphasised that development and environmental protection should not be treated as competing priorities, urging the young participants to incorporate sustainable practices into their daily lives.
She encouraged them to take the lessons learnt during the programme back to their homes, schools and communities, where small behavioural changes could contribute to broader environmental improvements.
The sustainability tour also exposed the participants to practical environmental features incorporated into the Gracefield Island development.
A member of the Gracefield Island team, Idowu Aderinto, explained that the development had incorporated residential, commercial, mixed-use and public spaces, alongside infrastructure designed to encourage environmentally responsible living.
According to him, more than 7,000 trees had been planted to provide shade and encourage walking and cycling. The development also includes pedestrian walkways, cycling lanes, drainage systems, shoreline protection measures and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Participants were also introduced to waste separation and recycling practices, including plans for central waste collection. The organisers used the tour to demonstrate how environmental considerations can be incorporated into the planning and management of urban developments.
The programme also provided a platform for participants to discuss environmental challenges they had identified in their own communities. During an interactive session, some participants presented project ideas focused on plastic waste management, recycling and proper waste disposal.
These projects reflected the programme’s emphasis on converting environmental knowledge into practical community-based solutions.
The organisers said the participants were expected to take the lessons from the programme beyond the training environment by promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practices among their peers.
The graduation therefore marked more than the completion of a youth training programme. It also signalled the emergence of another group of young environmental advocates equipped to contribute to conversations around climate action, marine conservation, waste management and sustainable development.
For the young graduates, the challenge now is to translate the knowledge gained through YLSEP into sustained action. Their exposure to environmental experts, marine research, sustainability practices and community-focused projects provides a foundation for them to become advocates for responsible environmental behaviour in their schools and communities.
With environmental challenges increasingly affecting communities through pollution, poor waste management, climate-related risks and degradation of natural resources, programmes such as YLSEP are creating opportunities for young people to participate actively in finding solutions.
The 2026 cohort’s graduation consequently reinforces the importance of introducing environmental education and leadership development to young people early, while giving them practical opportunities to understand and respond to the environmental challenges around them.
