The Federal Government has commenced the development of a bamboo processing factory in Kogi State as part of efforts to provide alternatives to tree felling and promote sustainable forest use.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, disclosed this on Wednesday during the seventh edition of the 2025 ministerial press briefing in Abuja.
According to him, bamboo offers a viable substitute for trees as a source of cooking fuel and other products.
Lawal said, “People need trees for cooking, and to give people an alternative to trees, the best alternative we have for trees is bamboo. Bamboo is a grass, but it grows to be a tree. Whatever a tree can do, bamboo can do it.
The Ministry has commenced implementation of a Bamboo development factory in Kogi State to promote Bamboo and Rattan Economy in Nigeria in line with the diversification drive of the Renewed Hope Administration. Feasibility studies for the development of seven more Bamboo factories are ongoing in Ogun, Cross Rivers, Kaduna, Edo, Benue, Ekiti and Taraba States.
The Department of Forestry had recently received and handed over 11 20-feet containers of logs (semi-processed wood) that were intercepted and confiscated by the Nigeria Customs Service.”
He stated that the government has launched the agroforestry projects and other initiatives to integrate agriculture into forests across the nation.
