By Peter Omopo
29th August 2025
Nigeria loses an estimated 400,000 hectares of forest cover every year to unchecked deforestation, a development stakeholders say threatens livelihoods, the environment, and the country’s global trade commitments.
National President of the National Charcoal Producers, Dealers, Exporters, and Afforestation of Nigeria (NACPDEAN), Babatunde Edu, raised the alarm on Thursday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, describing the situation as “alarming” and calling for urgent enforcement of compliance across the sector.
Edu noted that while the charcoal trade provides income for millions and contributes significantly to Nigeria’s economy, reckless exploitation, unsustainable logging, and poor adherence to regulations are eroding the country’s forest resources.
“Nigeria has already lost more than half of its forest cover between 1990 and 2020, with up to 70–80 per cent of original forest reserves depleted. If these unhealthy practices continue, afforestation efforts will be undermined and our international reputation will suffer,” he warned.
He listed agricultural expansion, industrial development, urbanisation, farming, and illegal logging as the primary drivers of the crisis.
Edu also cautioned that Nigeria’s exports could be jeopardised by the European Union’s new deforestation regulations, which from December 2025 will restrict commodities such as cocoa, coffee, palm oil, and wood to sources free of deforestation.
“If we fail to enforce compliance here, Nigerian products will face rejection abroad. Compliance is not optional; it is the bedrock of legitimacy both locally and internationally,” he stressed.
On the proposed executive ban on charcoal export, Edu revealed that the Presidency had directed the Ministries of Trade and Environment to review concerns, clarifying that the aim was not a blanket ban but stronger regulation of the sector.
To address the crisis, he called for a Joint Task Force to enforce compliance, curb illegal practices, and protect legitimate stakeholders. He further urged government to end foreign dominance in the trade, which contravenes the Federal Executive Council’s directive barring foreigners from buying produce at farm gates.
“This is not the time for lip service. If we do not enforce compliance today, there will be no sustainable future for our business and no viable charcoal industry for generations to come,” Edu said.
