Nigeria has launched a new partnership to combat its alarming deforestation rates and promote sustainable development. The Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Natural Eco Capital, and Business for Nature have joined forces to address the country’s rapid forest loss, with only about 4% of its original forest cover remaining.
The partnership was announced at the Business Advisory Group Inauguration Workshop in Abuja, where Deputy Director of Forestry at the Federal Ministry of Environment, Chris Aiwuyo, emphasized the importance of collaboration to achieve a nature-positive future. “Partnerships like this are vital to ensuring that the Nigerian private sector, civil society, and government move in the same direction to align investment and innovation with our biodiversity and climate goals,” he said.
According to the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, the country loses approximately 400,000 hectares of forest annually due to logging, agriculture, and urban expansion. Between 2000 and 2020, Nigeria’s tree cover declined by 13%, making it one of the countries with the fastest rates of deforestation in Africa. Director-General of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Joseph Onoja, noted that this partnership creates a unique platform to engage the private sector in restoring ecosystems, creating green jobs, and safeguarding Nigeria’s natural heritage.
The partnership aims to build awareness and capacity for nature-positive action across key sectors, helping businesses integrate climate and biodiversity considerations into their operations. CEO of Natural Eco Capital, Eugene Itua, emphasized the economic value of nature, stating that its protection must be seen as smart economics, not philanthropy. By linking biodiversity targets with business strategy and national development priorities, the partnership will help companies understand, measure, and manage their dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities on nature.
African Lead for Business for Nature, Oluwasooto Ajayi, explained that the collaboration will help accelerate progress for nature in Nigeria by connecting private sector leadership with national biodiversity and climate priorities. The initiative will contribute to Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land), advancing Nigeria toward a resilient, sustainable economy.
The urgent need for businesses to integrate biodiversity into decision-making and contribute to restoration efforts cannot be overstated. With Nigeria’s forests under significant threat, this partnership highlights the importance of collective action to protect the country’s natural resources and promote sustainable development. As the partnership moves forward, it is expected to play a crucial role in addressing Nigeria’s deforestation crisis and promoting a nature-positive future.