By Business Insider Reporter
Tanzania’s award-winning hip hop star Frida Amani has been appointed the first-ever Advocate for Ecosystem Restoration by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), marking a major milestone for the artist and for youth-driven environmental activism in East Africa.
The announcement was made in Nairobi ahead of the upcoming seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly. With over one million followers across social media, Amani is one of the region’s most influential female rappers and media personalities, widely known for using her platform to champion social and environmental causes.
Amani, who has won the global Music Cities Award and Tanzania’s Orange Award, said the appointment reflects her lifelong connection to nature.
“Growing up, we saw nature as a protector, providing food, water, shade, and purpose,” she said. “But we also watched it become increasingly vulnerable to climate change and exploitation, bringing floods and droughts. By joining UNEP, I want to inspire young people to be part of a generation that restores our ecosystems. We can no longer lament nature’s loss – we must bring it back.”
As UNEP’s Advocate for Ecosystem Restoration, Amani will spearhead youth engagement campaigns to prevent, halt and reverse environmental degradation. Her efforts will support the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which is now at its halfway mark, focusing on reviving oceans, forests, grasslands, savannahs, mountains, and urban green spaces.
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen praised the appointment, saying Amani’s influence and activism make her a powerful voice for environmental protection.
“Frida sings, speaks and acts for a healthy environment,” Andersen said. “She brings a relentless passion for restoration and is an inspiring role model for young people across Africa and beyond.”
Amani’s music and public work already reflect strong environmental and social themes. She has been involved in initiatives such as Kisiki Hai (a song promoting farmer-managed natural regeneration), Performance for Nature, and the Mote Mama Gizani campaign advocating for maternal health. She also serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Lead Foundation, and recently launched her own Amani Foundation, which supports conservation-themed events including this year’s Performance for Nature concert in Tanzania. Her new UNEP role is set to amplify Tanzania’s growing presence in global environmental leadership – while injecting the energy of youth, creativity, and music into the continent’s restoration movement.
