- The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has raised an alarm on International Day of Forests, revealing that less than 10% of Nigeria’s original forest landscape remains intact.
- Illegal logging, urbanization, and heavy reliance on charcoal are cited as the primary drivers behind Nigeria having one of the highest deforestation rates in the world.
- The Green Recovery Nigeria Programme has been launched with the ambitious goal of restoring the nation’s forest cover to 25% by the year 2047.
To mark the 2026 International Day of Forests, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has called for immediate and coordinated national intervention to halt the rapid disappearance of the country’s green belts.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in a statement released on Saturday, March 21, 2026, the foundation’s Director of Communications, Mr. Kunle Olawoyin, disclosed that the country has lost a staggering 90% of its forest cover over the last 30 years.
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Under the theme “Forests and Economies,” the NCF emphasized that the depletion of these ecosystems is not just an environmental crisis but a direct threat to national development.
Forests play a critical role in regulating Nigeria’s water systems, supporting agriculture, and providing livelihoods for millions of rural dwellers. Despite this, the sector remains significantly undervalued in government planning and budget allocations.
The Director-General of the NCF, Dr. Joseph Onoja, questioned the ongoing destruction of the systems that sustain human life.
“We all know that forests are vital for life on Earth. Why are we destroying the very systems that sustain us?” he asked, urging stakeholders to protect what are effectively the “lungs of the planet.”
The foundation highlighted its ongoing efforts to reverse the trend, noting that it successfully planted over 265,000 trees across various ecosystems in 2025 alone.
However, the NCF warned that non-governmental efforts must be matched by stricter enforcement of environmental laws and increased private sector investment in nature-based solutions to prevent a total ecological collapse.
