AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) says it planted 184,000 trees across various ecosystems in 2024 as part of its drive to restore Nigeria’s forest cover to 25 per cent by the year 2047.
This was disclosed during a special dialogue session held alongside the Foundation’s 36th Annual General Meeting, where environmental stakeholders gathered to discuss strategies for preserving Nigeria’s natural heritage.
President of the NCF Board of Trustees, Izoma Asiodu, said the Foundation began the year with strong momentum, implementing several key programmes, including the 22nd Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture.
The event, themed “Carbon Credits: Opportunities and Pitfalls,” addressed emerging issues in climate finance and reinforced the NCF’s advocacy agenda.
“We also awarded research grants to two PhD students to support their work in developing innovative environmental protection solutions,” Asiodu said, acknowledging the support of the S.L. Edu family and Chevron Nigeria Limited.
According to him, the tree-planting effort was part of the Foundation’s flagship Green Recovery Nigeria programme, which aims to rehabilitate degraded landscapes and support climate resilience.
He added that the initiative also prioritized the well-being of host communities, providing water, livelihood support, and other resources tailored to their needs.
In her remarks, the Chairman of the National Executive Council, Justice R.I.B. Adebiyi, described 2024 as a pivotal year for the organisation.
“Despite global challenges, NCF remained focused and achieved notable milestones. Under the Green Recovery Nigeria programme alone, we planted 184,000 trees nationwide. We also intensified efforts to protect endangered wildlife under our Saving Species in Peril initiative,” she said.
Justice Adebiyi reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to scaling up conservation efforts and fostering long-term environmental sustainability across Nigeria.
