Abuja: The Federal Government has highlighted the charcoal trade as a significant threat to forest sustainability and livelihoods across Nigeria. Dr. Aishetu Ndayako, Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Project Office, made this assertion at a stakeholders dialogue focused on charcoal production and forest conservation.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event was organized by the Centre for Renewable Energy and Action on Climate Change (CREACC-NG) with support from EkoEnergy. Themed 'Trade and Trees-Rethinking Charcoal Production and the Vanishing Forests', the dialogue took place in Abuja. Dr. Ndayako emphasized that while charcoal is a critical energy source for millions, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas, its trade is largely informal and poorly regulated, leading to severe environmental impacts such as deforestation, ecosystem collapse, and biodiversity loss.
Dr. Ndayako pointed out the paradox that despite its detrimental effects, charcoal remains a significant energy source for over 70% of the Nigerian population. The high demand for charcoal, both domestically and as an export commodity, has led to indiscriminate tree felling and ecosystem degradation, with minimal regeneration efforts.
She called for strategic shifts in policy and practice, urging a harmonization of national policies on forest and biomass energy. Dr. Ndayako advocated for empowering enforcement agencies to effectively regulate charcoal production and trade. She stressed the importance of sustainable forestry practices, community-managed woodlots, and transitions to cleaner energy sources such as LPG, ethanol, biogas, and solar cookstoves.
The Federal Government, through the Ecological Project Office, is committed to providing sustainable solutions to Nigeria's ecological challenges. Dr. Ndayako highlighted the importance of dialogues that bring together key stakeholders to address the issues of charcoal trade and forest degradation.
Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State for Education, emphasized the critical role forests play in maintaining the planet's health, including carbon absorption and climate regulation. Represented by Mrs. Aminulai Modupe, she underscored the need for environmental education within the national curriculum to raise a generation that values conservation and understands the environmental costs of unsustainable practices.
Prof. Ahmad also mentioned the Diaspora Bridge Initiative, aimed at strengthening research and collaboration across tertiary institutions, including STEM-M fields. She called for support for community workshops and outreach initiatives that promote sustainable charcoal production techniques.
Usman Muhammad, Executive Director of CREACC-NG, highlighted Nigeria's position as the largest producer of charcoal in Africa and the second-largest globally. He warned of the alarming deforestation rate and tree cover loss, particularly in the Savannah woodland regions of Niger, Taraba, Benue, Kwara, and Kogi States. With 1.5 million trees lost daily, Nigeria faces significant CO2 emissions, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.
Muhammad urged stakeholders to collaborate towards a sustainable future, marking the dialogue as a step towards collective action to tackle these critical environmental challenges.