The Federal Government has officially begun the establishment of a bamboo processing factory in Kogi State, marking a strategic move toward promoting sustainable alternatives to deforestation and enhancing Nigeria’s green economy.
Speaking during the seventh edition of the 2025 ministerial press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, highlighted bamboo as a practical substitute for wood. According to him, “Bamboo is technically a grass, but it matures like a tree and can replace trees in virtually all applications, especially for cooking fuel and other wood-based products.”
Lawal revealed that the bamboo initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda’s diversification goals. In addition to the ongoing Kogi project, feasibility studies are underway for the establishment of similar bamboo factories in Ogun, Cross River, Kaduna, Edo, Benue, Ekiti, and Taraba States.
He also disclosed that the Department of Forestry has recently received and handed over 11 containers of intercepted semi-processed wood logs, emphasizing the government’s intensified efforts against illegal logging.
The minister further elaborated on broader environmental efforts, including the launch of agroforestry projects nationwide and the activities of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW). The agency has planted over 3.8 million Neem seedlings, established a 175km shelterbelt in northern states, and raised five million Date Palm seedlings for the upcoming 2025 planting season.
Additionally, the agency has built five skill acquisition centers in key northern states, distributed over 5,200 mini solar systems, installed over 4,600 solar street lights, and provided 6,600 energy-saving stoves and 130 solar-powered pumps to rural communities. These initiatives aim to mitigate desertification, promote income-generating activities, and discourage deforestation across vulnerable regions.
