Nigeria has unveiled a $1 billion forest recovery initiative aimed at reversing deforestation, strengthening climate resilience, and protecting livelihoods dependent on natural resources.
The programme, titled “Securing Nigeria’s Forest Future (SNFF),” was presented in Abuja during a national validation workshop outlining a 10-year strategy spanning 2026 to 2036.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, warned that the country’s forests are facing mounting threats from deforestation, unsustainable exploitation, land-use changes, and climate variability.
He described forests as critical to Nigeria’s environmental stability, economic resilience, and rural livelihoods, stressing the need for urgent and coordinated national action to halt ongoing degradation.
The SNFF initiative, developed under the Forest and Climate Leaders Partnership, is designed to align Nigeria’s climate commitments with measurable outcomes by integrating forest restoration, green job creation, climate adaptation, and sustainable financing into a unified framework.
At its core, the plan seeks to mobilise about $1 billion through blended financing, combining public sector funding, international climate support, private investment, and carbon market mechanisms.
Also addressing stakeholders, the Director of Forestry at the Ministry of Environment, Halima Bawa-Bwari, described the initiative as a pivotal step toward reforming environmental governance in Nigeria.
She noted that forest ecosystems, which play a key role in biodiversity conservation and climate regulation, are increasingly under pressure from population growth, agricultural expansion, and rising energy demand.
Bawa-Bwari emphasised that the SNFF framework provides a roadmap for restoring degraded landscapes, improving institutional coordination, enhancing transparency, and expanding sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Both officials highlighted the importance of inclusive participation, stressing that the success of the initiative will depend on collaboration among government agencies, private sector actors, development partners, civil society, and forest-dependent communities.
They added that the validation workshop represents a critical stage in refining the framework to ensure broad national ownership and effective implementation.
Lawal further noted that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s existing environmental commitments, including the National Forest Policy, the National REDD+ Strategy, the Paris Agreement, and the Climate Change Act of 2021.
He expressed confidence that the programme would reposition Nigeria’s forest management efforts and contribute meaningfully to global climate and biodiversity goals.
Stakeholders at the workshop are expected to finalise a comprehensive framework that could reshape forest governance and sustainability efforts in Nigeria over the next decade.
