Nigeria's Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, has urged charcoal merchants and other stakeholders in the forestry sector to adopt sustainable practices and support the Federal Government's efforts to reverse deforestation and restore the country's degraded forest landscapes. Lawal gave the advice at the flag-off of the 2026 Operation One Million Trees tree-planting programme organised by the Association for Forest Conservation and Green Industrial Charcoal Merchants in Ibadan.
The Minister, represented by Dr Osakwe Igbinosa, described tree planting as one of the most practical measures for combating climate change, reversing deforestation, restoring biodiversity, controlling desertification, and strengthening the resilience of Nigeria's ecosystems. He emphasised that Nigeria's forests provide critical environmental, social, and economic benefits, including biodiversity conservation, regulation of water resources, and livelihoods for millions of Nigerians.
Lawal noted that the Federal Ministry of Environment remains committed to sustainable forest management through programmes designed to restore degraded forests, increase forest cover, and promote climate resilience across the country. The Ministry had, on June 8, 2026, flagged off the 2026 National Afforestation Programme as part of the implementation of the Federal Government's Executive Order on the ban on the export of wood and charcoal.
The Minister highlighted several initiatives of the Ministry, including the Sovereign Green Bond Afforestation Programme, National Greening of Cities and Urban Areas for Climate Change Mitigation, agroforestry initiatives, protection of erosion-prone areas and marginal lands, as well as stakeholder and community engagement programmes. He said the Operation One Million Trees initiative complemented the government's broader environmental agenda.
Lawal urged stakeholders to ensure that forestry activities comply with existing laws, environmental regulations, and government policies. He stressed that the success of afforestation should not be measured merely by the number of seedlings planted but by the number that survived and matured into healthy forests. The Chairman of the Association for Forest Conservation and Green Industrial Charcoal Merchants, Adeshola Idowu, advocated for stakeholders to develop the habit of replacing trees removed from the environment.
Idowu encouraged Nigerians to plant trees around their homes and communities and identified technology as a critical component of modern forest protection. He pointed to the potential use of drones to plant seedlings in difficult-to-reach areas. The Oyo State Commissioner for Environment, Ademola Aderinto, commended the state Governor, Seyi Makinde, for environmental policies that encourage afforestation as a potent way of fighting climate change.
The programme, which brought together forestry practitioners, charcoal merchants, environmentalists, students, regulators, and other stakeholders, aims to promote afforestation and encourage responsible management of Nigeria's forest resources. The next phase of the Operation One Million Trees initiative will involve on-site verification of the afforestation activities, with environmentalists, journalists, regulators, non-governmental organisations, international organisations, auditors, and other independent stakeholders expected to participate.
Key points
- The Nigerian government has launched several initiatives to restore degraded forests and promote sustainable forest management.
- The Operation One Million Trees initiative aims to promote afforestation and encourage responsible management of Nigeria's forest resources.
- The success of afforestation programmes will be measured by the survival and growth of planted trees into healthy forests.
