NCF Raises The Alarm Over Rapid Forest Loss

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has raised concerns about the continued depletion of Nigeria’s forests, urging immediate, coordinated action to protect what it describes as one of the country’s most critical natural assets.

The call was made as the world marked the 2026 International Day of Forests, themed “Forests and Economies,” which highlights the role of forests in supporting livelihoods, economic resilience, and national development.

According to the Foundation, Nigeria is experiencing one of the highest deforestation rates globally, losing an estimated 400,000 hectares of forest annually due to illegal logging, agricultural expansion, and urbanisation. It added that nearly 90 per cent of the country’s forest cover has been lost over the past three decades, leaving less than 10 per cent of its original forest landscape intact.