December 1, 2025
A new partnership has been launched between the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Natural Eco Capital, and Business for Nature to combat Nigeria’s alarming deforestation rates and promote nature-positive development.
Deputy Director, Forestry, Federal Ministry of Environment, Chris Aiwuyo, who spoke at the Business Advisory Group Inauguration Workshop in Abuja, said, “Nigeria’s commitment to achieving a nature-positive future is deeply rooted in our national vision for sustainable development.
“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. Together, we can build an economy that grows by restoring, not depleting, our natural wealth.”
The Director-General of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Joseph Onoja, in his contribution noted that, “According to the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, only about four per cent of Nigeria’s original forest cover remains, and the country loses approximately 400,000 hectares of forest annually due to logging, agriculture, and urban expansion. Between 2000 and 2020, the nation’s tree cover declined by 13 per cent, making Nigeria one of the countries with the fastest rates of deforestation in Africa.”
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He emphasized that, “This partnership creates a unique platform to engage the private sector as an essential partner in restoring ecosystems, creating green jobs, and safeguarding Nigeria’s natural heritage for future generations.”
Highlighting the economic value of nature, the CEO of Natural Eco Capital, Eugene Itua, said, “Nature is one of our most valuable assets, and its protection must be seen as smart economics, not philanthropy. By linking biodiversity targets with business strategy and national development priorities, this partnership will help companies understand, measure, and manage their dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities on nature in ways that create shared value.”
According to the African Lead, Business for Nature, Oluwasooto Ajayi, “Businesses in Nigeria are increasingly paying attention to nature as part of their broader work on sustainability, but they are not yet all aware of how their work contributes to national plans to protect, restore, and sustainably use nature. This collaboration will help accelerate progress for nature in Nigeria by connecting private sector leadership with national biodiversity and climate priorities.”
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. Nigeria can advance toward a resilient, sustainable economy while contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land) by doing so.
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Nigeria’s forests are under significant threat, with only about 4 per cent of the country’s original forest cover remaining.
The nation loses roughly 400,000 hectares of forest annually due to logging, agriculture, and urban expansion, and between 2000 and 2020, tree cover declined by 13 per cent, making Nigeria one of Africa’s fastest-deforesting countries.
This initiative seeks the urgent need for businesses to integrate biodiversity into consideration in making decision and contribute towards forest restoration.
