By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
Nigeria’s worsening forest degradation is fast evolving into a broader ecological and economic crisis, a Professor of Geography, Adesola Ogidiolu, has warned, calling for an urgent policy shift and grassroots-driven action to safeguard the country’s natural resources.
Speaking at the 18th Inaugural Lecture of Prince Abubakar Audu University in Anyigba, Ogidiolu cautioned that continued neglect of forest ecosystems could deepen climate risks, rural poverty, and environmental instability.
Delivering a lecture titled “Geographer in the Forest: Issues, Concerns and Tasks,” the scholar framed forest degradation not just as an environmental issue, but as a threat to national resilience.
“Forests are central to human survival,” he said, noting their role in climate regulation, biodiversity preservation, and livelihoods for millions of Nigerians.
Ogidiolu argued that Geography provides a critical lens for understanding the complex relationship between human activity and environmental change, stressing that forest health is a key indicator of ecological balance.
He identified major pressure points driving degradation, including deforestation, poor land use practices, declining soil productivity, and weak enforcement of environmental regulations.
According to him, failure to address these challenges could accelerate desertification, disrupt food systems, and worsen socio-economic inequalities, particularly in rural communities that depend heavily on forest resources.
The professor called for a coordinated national response anchored on expanding forest cover through regeneration of degraded lands and restoring marginal ecosystems.
He urged stronger collaboration between federal and state governments, private sector actors, and local communities, noting that top-down policies alone cannot address the crisis.
Ogidiolu also advocated sustainable forest management practices such as regulated harvesting, delayed logging cycles, and stricter controls on resource exploitation.
He stressed the need for aggressive reforestation programmes using fast-growing and adaptive species to rebuild damaged ecosystems, while pushing for Nigeria to align with global environmental commitments, including zero-net deforestation targets.
Beyond environmental concerns, he highlighted the link between forest degradation, insecurity, and poverty, arguing that loss of natural resources often fuels rural distress and conflict.
To address this, he recommended rights-based land use systems and the strengthening of community-led forest protection groups to curb illegal logging and improve accountability.
The don further emphasised the economic potential of forests, calling for responsible utilisation, promotion of social forestry, and improved monitoring systems to manage environmental risks.
He also underscored the importance of sustained research, capacity building for forest workers, and reforms in governance structures, while advocating the inclusion of Geography as a compulsory subject in schools to build environmental awareness.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Prince Abubakar Audu University, Salisu Ogbo Usman, described the inaugural lecture series as a vital academic tradition and announced an increase in the stipend for lecturers from ₦250,000 to ₦500,000.
He also disclosed that the university had approved 13 additional inaugural lectures, bringing the total number to 30 by October 2027.
Nigeria’s Forests Under Siege, Don Calls for Emergency Action
