Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has joined voices with environmental experts to call for decisive action against deforestation, describing forest preservation as essential to Nigeria’s economic growth and environmental resilience.
Speaking at the 9th Biennial Conference of the Forests and Forest Products Society (FFPS) held at Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Aiyedatiwa said the state government was fully committed to reversing the tide of forest degradation through sustainable management practices.
The event, themed “Healthy and Resilient Forests for a Buoyant Nigerian Economy,” brought together researchers, government officials, and environmental advocates to address the rising rate of forest depletion in Nigeria.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Chief Segun Odusanya, the governor described the conference as timely, noting that the state was already exploring strategies to restore its forest reserves damaged by years of human activities.
“The European Union’s deforestation-free programme has been an eye-opener to this state. We will spare no effort in complying with the EU regulations and will do everything possible to stop deforestation,” Aiyedatiwa said.
Delivering a keynote address virtually, Professor Timo Tokola of the University of Eastern Finland called for digital innovation and sound government policies to maintain healthy forests. He emphasized the need for a shift from indiscriminate extraction to sustainable forest management supported by continuous inventory, data transparency, and private sector participation under clear regulations.
Tokola outlined the wide-ranging benefits of forests, including timber, paper, and medicinal plants to ecosystem services and climate stability, warning that Nigeria’s forests were under severe pressure from illegal logging, urbanisation, agricultural expansion, and weak enforcement mechanisms.
“Nigeria’s forests have exceptional ecological potential if sustained through digital management, healthy practices, and improved governance,” he said.
In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Professor Adenike Oladiji, highlighted the role of forests in human survival and environmental balance, stressing that greater collaboration among research institutions was key to advancing the forest sector.
The President of FFPS and Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Professor Shadrack Akindele, described forests as “the lungs of the planet and anchors of rural economies,” noting that despite deforestation challenges, opportunities abound for innovation, reforestation, and green entrepreneurship.
“A healthy forest ecosystem supports water regulation, soil fertility, climate stability, and cultural identity,” Akindele said. “Within the challenges of deforestation lie opportunities for redefining Nigeria’s national development trajectory.”
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), forests cover about 23 percent of Nigeria’s land area — a figure that has been steadily declining. Global Forest Watch reports that the country lost approximately 1.3 million hectares of tree cover between 2000 and 2024, largely due to illegal logging, farming, urban expansion, and fuelwood dependence.
The Federal Government, through initiatives such as the AIM4Forests project supported by FAO, is currently working to improve forest monitoring and promote sustainable management practices. Ondo State, one of Nigeria’s key forest belts, has renewed enforcement of conservation laws in line with international deforestation-free standards.
