A Booming Industry in the Shadows

Charcoal farming in Nigeria has quietly transformed from a subsistence activity into a multimillion-naira enterprise. States like Oyo, Niger, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom have become hubs of production, driven by rising domestic demand and a thriving export market—despite a federal ban in place since 2018.

• Key players: Rural farmers, informal cooperatives, middlemen, and aggregators
• Production method: Traditional earthen kilns, slow-burning techniques
• Export destinations: Europe and the Middle East, often via smuggling routes through Benin Republic
According to the FAO, Nigeria ranks among the top global producers, with over 1 million metric tonnes of charcoal annually.

The Duality: Livelihoods vs. Legality

Charcoal farming sustains thousands of rural families, helping pay for school fees and healthcare. Yet, much of the wood is harvested from forest reserves—often illegally—leading to mass deforestation.
Association leaders like Mr. Babatunde Edu of the National Charcoal Producers, Dealers, Exporters and Afforestation Association argue that a growing share of charcoal is sourced from legal plantations and private holdings, and that traceability systems are emerging to debunk blanket illegality claims.

Environmental Toll: Forests Under Siege

The ecological cost is staggering:
• Deforestation: Indiscriminate tree felling across forest reserves
• Biodiversity loss: Ecosystem collapse and vanishing species
• Carbon sink erosion: Forests no longer absorbing emissions effectively
Dr. Aishetu Ndayako, Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Project Office, warns that forests—Nigeria’s carbon sinks and biodiversity reservoirs—are being degraded with minimal regeneration efforts.

Health Risks: The Silent Crisis

Charcoal use contributes to 95,000 premature deaths annually, according to WHO estimates. Women and children are disproportionately affected due to indoor air pollution from biomass fuels.
Environmentalist Emmanuel Eleri calls for:

• Subsidies for LPG and improved cookstoves
• Cleaner energy access for rural communities
• Policy incentives for energy transition

Policy Gaps and the Way Forward

Despite the 2018 export ban, enforcement remains weak. Smuggling, bribery, and mislabeling of charcoal as agricultural produce continue unabated.

To address this, stakeholders at the recent Abuja dialogue proposed:
• Harmonised forest and biomass energy policies
• Community-managed woodlots and agroforestry
• Scaling up clean energy alternatives (LPG, ethanol, biogas, solar cookstoves)
Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, Minister of State for Education, emphasized the need to integrate environmental education into Nigeria’s curriculum to foster long-term ecological stewardship.