FG imposes nationwide ban on wood exports, revokes existing licenses

The Federal Government has declared an immediate nationwide ban on the export of wood and allied products.

Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Minister of Environment, stated this on Wednesday during the 18th meeting of the National Council on Environment held in Katsina State.

He also said that all previously issued licences and permits for wood extraction and export were suspended and rendered invalid with immediate effect.

The measure is contained in a new Presidential Executive Order signed by President Bola Tinubu, aimed at arresting the alarming rate of illegal logging and deforestation across the country.

Read also: FG unveils national strategy for meeting EU deforestation regulation

Lawal explained that the directive, titled ‘Presidential Executive Order on the Prohibition of Exportation of Wood and Allied Products, 2025’, was necessitated by the need to strengthen Nigeria’s response to climate change and preserve the nation’s shrinking forest cover.

According to him, “Nigeria’s forests are central to environmental sustainability, providing clean air and water, supporting livelihoods, conserving biodiversity, and playing a critical role in reducing the impact of climate change,” the minister stated.

He warned that the continued wanton export of wood undermines these critical benefits and poses a severe threat to the long-term health of the environment.

The document, published in the Extraordinary Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 180, Vol. 112 of October 16, 2025, relies on Sections 17(2) and 20 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). These sections mandate the State to protect the environment, forests, and wildlife, and to prevent the exploitation of natural resources for selfish gains.

Under the new policy, security agencies and relevant ministries are expected to enforce a total clampdown on illegal logging activities nationwide.

Declaring the meeting open, Faruk Lawal Jobe, the Katsina State Deputy Governor, said: “It is a well-known fact that the state has maintained a proud reputation as a national trailblazer in governance and policy innovation. Several socio-economic policies formulated by Katsina State became national models adopted and implemented by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“In other words, Katsina State has consistently demonstrated leadership, creativity, and strategic foresight, which continue to shape national policy trajectories. Such pioneering efforts stand as enduring testaments to our role as a pace-setter in Nigeria’s governance and development architecture.

“Indeed, your presence here today underscores the importance of collaboration in tackling the pressing environmental issues that affect our respective states in particular and the nation in general. I hope you will all find our dear state a place conducive for living and business activities. Let me assure you that the security challenges we face are actually over-exaggerated by the media, as most of the narratives do not tally with realities.

“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we recognise the critical role of environmental sustainability in achieving growth and improving the quality of life of our people. Consequently, the present administration has prioritised numerous initiatives aimed at combating desertification and promoting afforestation,” he said.

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