The Federal Government has raised alarm over the impact of charcoal production on Nigeria’s forests, warning it poses a serious threat to the environment and rural livelihoods.
Dr. Aishetu Ndayako, Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Project Office, said at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja that Nigeria loses an estimated 1.5 million trees daily due to uncontrolled charcoal trade.
“Charcoal is a major source of household energy for millions of Nigerians, but indiscriminate tree felling is degrading entire ecosystems,” Ndayako said. “Forests must be seen as renewable assets, not disposable resources.”
She called for stricter regulation, community-led tree planting, and a shift to cleaner energy sources like LPG, ethanol, and solar cookstoves.
Usman Muhammad, Director of the Centre for Renewable Energy and Action on Climate Change, described Nigeria as Africa’s largest charcoal producer and the second-largest in the world, warning of “severe CO2 emissions, biodiversity loss, and desertification” if action is not taken.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, stressed the need to integrate environmental education into school curricula to raise a generation that values conservation.
Stakeholders agreed to push for sustainable charcoal production and will reconvene at a National Summit in June 2026 to review progress.
