Key Points

• FG enforces an immediate nationwide ban on wood and allied product exports.

• All existing export licences and permits are revoked without exemption.

• Security agencies begin coordinated action against illegal logging nationwide.

The Federal Government has imposed an immediate nationwide ban on the export of wood and allied products. It has also cancelled all existing licences and permits tied to the trade.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, announced the decision Wednesday at the 18th meeting of the National Council on Environment in Katsina State. The ban takes effect immediately.

According to Lawal, the action follows a presidential directive titled Presidential Executive Order on the Prohibition of Exportation of Wood and Allied Products, 2025.

The government introduced the order to address illegal logging, rising deforestation, and the steady loss of forest reserves nationwide.

Why the government stepped in

Nigeria’s forests play a key role in environmental stability, the minister explained. They support clean air and water, protect wildlife, sustain rural livelihoods, and reduce climate risks.

However, continued wood exports weaken these benefits. Over time, the damage affects farming patterns, rainfall cycles, and local economies. In many vulnerable regions, forest loss has already deepened environmental stress.

Legal backing for the ban

The executive order appeared in the Extraordinary Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 180, Vol. 112, dated Oct. 16, 2025.

It draws authority from Sections 17(2) and 20 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

These provisions assign the state a duty to protect the environment, preserve forests and wildlife, and prevent the misuse of natural resources for private profit.

As a result, all previously issued export licences and permits are no longer valid. The policy makes no provision for exemptions.

Enforcement and security measures

Security agencies will begin a nationwide crackdown on illegal logging. In addition, relevant ministries and regulators will coordinate enforcement across forests, sawmills, processing sites, and export terminals.

Meanwhile, authorities plan tighter monitoring at ports and border routes. These locations have often served as exit points for illegally harvested timber.

Katsina highlights environmental priorities

At the meeting, Katsina State Deputy Governor Faruk Lawal Jobe pointed to the state’s history of policies that later shaped national decisions.

He added that environmental problems demand cooperation between federal and state governments. His administration, he noted, has focused on combating desertification, expanding tree planting, and restoring degraded land.

Environmental sustainability, he explained, links directly to economic growth and living standards, especially in areas already under climate pressure.

A broader climate signal

The export ban reflects a stronger federal stance on forest protection. As forest cover continues to shrink, officials view the policy as part of a long-term effort to protect natural resources and secure them for future generations.