Forests, Crucial to Climate Resilience – Nigeria’s Environment Minister Says
“Forests play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, maintaining water cycles, and providing livelihoods for millions of people, the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal, emphasised this Wednesday in Abuja during the 2025 Ministerial Press briefing.
He said, forests play crucial role in regulating Nigeria’s climatic conditions and strengthening the country’s climate resilience.
The ministry he proudly said the ministry he heads has implemented strategic measures to curb unsustainable agricultural practices, excessive logging and infrastructure deficits.
These actions, he noted have greatly reduced the rates of deforestation, forest degradation, and the resulting adverse climate effects.
“It is worthy of note that significant achievements have been recorded in forest restoration” the minister added.
Lawal highlighted the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) as a key initiative of the Federal Government aimed at implementing the recommendations of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on the oil spill in Ogoniland.
“HYPREP has commenced the world’s most extensive mangrove restoration in Ogoniland. The pilot phase, covering 560 hectares, is 85 per cent complete, with over two million seedlings of red, black, and white mangrove species planted.
“This marks the first mangrove restoration in Nigeria involving the planting of multiple species,” he said.
The minister also disclosed that Nigeria signed a Cooperation Framework Agreement with the Republic of Cameroon on April 19, 2024.
“The agreement promotes trans-boundary ecosystem conservation and the sustainable management of forestry and wildlife resources.
“This collaboration is aimed at protecting shared ecosystems, including forests, wildlife, and water bodies, and ensuring coordinated management of trans-boundary protected areas such as the Cross River National Park (Nigeria) and Korup National Park (Cameroon), which are biodiversity hotspots,” he explained.
He also commended the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), which has led research on forestry, forest products, and environmental development initiatives, notably the digitalisation of forest zones across the country.