FG URGES CHARCOAL MERCHANTS TO SUPPORT TREE PLANTING

The Federal Government has urged charcoal merchants and other forestry stakeholders to adopt sustainable practices and support efforts to increase Nigeria’s forest cover.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, made the call at the launch of the 2026 Operation One Million Trees programme at the University of Ibadan.

Lawal said tree planting remained important for combating climate change, restoring biodiversity, controlling desertification and strengthening the resilience of ecosystems.

He urged charcoal merchants to operate within existing forestry laws and environmental regulations while supporting efforts to replace trees removed for charcoal production.

The minister said the Federal Government had introduced several programmes aimed at restoring degraded forests and increasing forest cover across the country.

These include the National Afforestation Programme, the Sovereign Green Bond Afforestation Programme and the National Greening of Cities and Urban Areas initiative.

Lawal said the success of afforestation should not be measured only by the number of seedlings planted but by how many survive and grow into healthy trees.

Chairman of the Association for Forest Conservation and Green Industrial Charcoal Merchants, Adeshola Idowu, also encouraged Nigerians to plant trees in their homes and communities.

He advocated replacing trees removed from the environment and said technology such as drones could help plant trees in difficult-to-reach areas.

The government said the initiative formed part of broader efforts to restore degraded forests and promote sustainable management of Nigeria’s forest resources.