By Anayo Akwitti
The Federal Government has thrown its weight behind the proposed National Forest Association of Nigeria, saying the body will strengthen coordination, boost investment and drive sustainable development across the forest sector.
Felicia Udeh, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, gave the assurance at a national stakeholders’ meeting held to review the association’s draft constitution, describing the
initiative as a major step toward a stronger, more sustainable forestry industry.
Forest Cover Declining
Citing World Bank data, Udeh noted that Nigeria’s forests covered just 23.2 per cent of the country’s land area in 2023, trailing the sub-Saharan African average of 25.7 per cent.
She warned that shrinking forest cover, population growth and rising demand for forest resources were straining livelihoods, industry and environmental sustainability, and called for greater investment in forest restoration, plantation development, sustainable forest management, technology, research, infrastructure and value addition across the forest value chain.
A Unified Platform, Not a Rival
Udeh explained that the new association would serve as a common platform for stakeholders to attract investment and tackle sector-wide challenges without displacing existing product-based associations.
Specialised bodies would retain their individual mandates, she said, while the new association would address issues affecting the sector as a whole.
She reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to promoting Nigerian commodities, strengthening value addition and building an enabling environment for investment, adding that the forest sector holds significant potential for industrialisation, job creation, economic diversification and export growth.
Stakeholders Optimistic
Participants at the meeting praised the ministry’s push to unite Nigeria’s fragmented forest-related associations, saying a single, unified body would give the sector a stronger voice, improve collaboration and accelerate investment in the forest value chain.
Udeh commended the committees behind the draft constitution and urged stakeholders to support the process, emphasising that the association must be credible, inclusive and investment-driven.
The overarching goal, she said, is to promote forest restoration, create jobs, attract investment and advance Nigeria’s sustainable development agenda.
