Honey Hauwa Abubakar: Making Climate Education Local with PlanetCred

Hauwa Abubakar is building climate tech Nigerians can actually use

I met Hauwa Abubakar at Osun Tech Festival, and I’ll be honest: at first glance, it was easy to notice the beauty.

But a few minutes into our conversation, I realized something more important.

Hauwa is not “a pretty face in tech.” Hauwa is a climate data analyst, a public speaker, a youth leader, and the founder of PlanetCred.

And if you’ve ever thought climate conversations feel too far from everyday Nigerians, her work is a direct response to that.

PlanetCred: climate education, translated for real people

PlanetCred is a climate tech initiative built on a simple but powerful idea: if people can’t understand the message, they can’t act on it.

PlanetCred’s product MVP is not publicly launched yet. What has launched is the work itself: the initiatives, the content, and the system they’re building around translation + action. The MVP is expected to be launched soon.

PlanetCred translates climate education into Nigerian languages, starting with:

• Hausa, because it is widely understood in Northern Nigeria
• Nigerian Pidgin, because it is widely understood in Southern Nigeria

This matters because climate education is often packaged in ways that assume everyone is fluent in formal English and already “in the room.” PlanetCred is trying to widen that room.

And beyond translation, it is also structured. Climate content is broken down for specific age groups, which makes learning feel less like a lecture and more like a guided path.

From “I’m an advocate” to “here’s what I did”

The second part of PlanetCred is the part that makes the initiative feel mission-driven.

Instead of stopping at awareness, PlanetCred turns climate problems into simplified missions young people can actually do. Then participants submit video evidence of the work, get it verified, and earn micro-certificates they can share publicly.

This is where Hauwa’s MRV focus shows up.

MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) is what separates vibes from proof. It is the difference between “we care” and “we did the work.”

And that’s the point:

A lot of young people say they care about climate, but action is harder when there is no system that channels energy into real tasks. Hauwa is building that system.

Climate is not foreign. It’s already here.

When I asked Hauwa why she chose climate advocacy, the answer was sharp:

Climate change is not one issue.

It is a security problem. It is a health problem. It is a gender problem. It touches everything.

And Nigerians are feeling it.

Whether it is heat that suddenly feels aggressive, unusual rainfall patterns, or the way communities experience scarcity differently, the “climate conversation” is no longer optional. Hauwa is treating it like what it is: a real-life problem.

“See her for more than beauty.”

At some point in our conversation, I asked Hauwa something many people avoid saying out loud: whether beauty affects how the world responds.

Her response was honest.

She said it is not only beauty, but also aura: how she carries herself, how she speaks. But yes, it plays a role.

Then she said something more important.

She wants people to know that beyond the looks, she is a serious builder:

• a public speaker
• a climate founder
• someone focused on MRV
• with a team of developers and smart people working toward the vision
• and someone who wants to see women win.

That’s the part I want to amplify today.

The birthday message (from her own words)

If there’s one line from Hauwa that deserves to be printed and reread, it’s this:

“Learn a lot and take action by starting with what you can reach. We all don’t have it figured out, just start and keep going on.”

That is not only climate advice.

That is builder advice.

What’s next for Hauwa

Hauwa told me the next step is discipline: becoming more disciplined, and more consistent as she grows.

She also spoke about real setbacks:

• losing an Instagram account of 5 years (23k+ followers)
• being disqualified from a fellowship because of nationality

But her mindset is clear: when you see her in more global spaces, it will not be luck or beauty. It will be work and resilience.

Final word

Today, I’m celebrating Hauwa for what she represents:

• young Nigerians building mission-driven tech
• climate education made local and inclusive
• a future where action is measurable, not just motivational

Happy birthday, Hauwa.