Ongoing Independent Verification Confirms Impact of Niger Delta Mangrove Restoration

Auditors validate climate and community benefits of First Climate’s carbon removal project under Verra and CCB Standards in Nigeria

A recent verification visit has confirmed and quantified the impact of the Niger Delta Mangrove Restoration Project on both the climate and local communities, resulting in the restoration of hundreds of hectares of coastal mangroves and improving livelihoods across Nigeria’s Akwa Ibom and Rivers States.

Project team and auditor survey sampling plots as part of Verra's required verification process. © First Climate

The Niger Delta Mangrove Project, which started its mission of planting 1,000,000 mangroves per year back in 2021, has reached another significant milestone in an ongoing independent verification process under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards. Once completed, the verification will mark another key step toward the project’s first issuance of verified carbon credits and underscores its tangible contributions to climate action, biodiversity restoration, and community development.

During the visit, the First Climate team met with accredited third-party auditor (VVB) who independently confirmed that the project activities – including mangrove planting, monitoring, and community engagement – have been implemented as planned and are delivering high-quality carbon removals and social co-benefits. “We are pleased to see the incredible progress the project has made over the last months and years. With the help of our local partners, we’ve been able to scale the project significantly and confirm its impact with measurable and verified removals as well as concrete improvements of local livelihood alternatives,” said Wolfgang Brückner, Managing Director of First Climate Projektentwicklung, who oversees the management of the Niger Delta Mangrove Project.

💡Please click each image below to enlarge and read captions!

Initial tree nursery (in 2021/2022), pre-grown red mangroves, prepared for planting.

Sorting of the propagules / seedlings after collection.

Aerial view of planting area (shot by drone in 2022).

Wider view of planting activities in progress during a project activity instance (PAI).

Establishment of a nursery in 2025, meant to prepare white and black mangroves for future planting.

Auditors inspecting and documenting sampling plots.

Local expert from audit team at a selected sampling plots for verification.

Remeasuring/re-counting young trees to check against submitted values for consistency/accuracy.

Example of young mangrove at a planting site; small tree, fruit buds (tree ca. 40 cm).

Example of project billboard installed in PAI 01 (similar for all planting areas).

Local implementation partner leads stakeholder meeting to get insights on local socio-economics.

Planting site originally started in 2024, now slightly over 1 year old.

Same area documented more than 12 months later; planting pattern (1x1m) visible.

Members of 1 of 2 local community partners to restoration project.

During the visit, the verification team visited active project sites across Akwa Ibom and Rivers States, meeting with local communities, project partners, as well as traditional, state, and local officials. They reviewed planting records, monitoring data, and evidence of community participation, while conducting on-the-ground assessments of restored mangrove areas.

The auditors confirmed that the project has been implemented as described in the submitted project description, or PD, with discussions covering technical aspects and activities such as biomass measurement and soil carbon accounting, as well as evaluating how community members are engaged and benefit from the project activities. Constructive findings were shared to enhance documentation and strengthen future monitoring – an expected and valuable part of the verification process.

“This project is an outstanding example of how nature-based climate solutions – when locally led and scientifically grounded – can deliver meaningful results for both people and the planet,” said Nikita Skopincev, of First Climate’s project development team. “Being onsite with the auditor allowed us to demonstrate how each stage of our project setup – from seedling propagation to GIS-based monitoring – translates directly into verified carbon outcomes.”

As the project continues to progress, further updates will be shared across First Climate’s communication channels.