Once praised as a daring African-led answer to desertification, the Great Green Wall initiative is currently under fire for poor performance and donor-driven mismanagement. With COP30 focusing on global climate funding, the Great Green Wall in the Sahel serves as a warning. Much of the expected transformation has not materialized, even though billions have been committed to reforesting 100 million hectares and creating 10 million green employment by 2030. According to investigations, foreign money frequently eschews native agencies, resulting in subpar projects, deserted crops, and disenchanted people. Some call the effort a type of “green neocolonialism,” arguing that it has shifted its focus from having a local impact to luring Western aid. The narrative emphasizes the difficulties of top-down environmental assistance and the demand for more open, locally driven climate action.