Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate for the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), was seen on Monday at Abuja's Presidential Villa Banquet Hall attending the 2025 Nigeria Forest Economy Summit.
The Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI) organized the event, which gathered key stakeholders to discuss sustainable forest management and economic diversification.
Kwankwaso, a notable opposition leader, did not speak to the media or address the audience during the summit. Nevertheless, his attendance attracted attention due to the political landscape leading up to the 2027 general elections.
At the summit, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President Ibrahim Hadejia spoke on behalf of the Vice President, highlighting concerns about Nigeria's forests and emphasizing their dire economic implications if immediate action is not taken.
As the Founder and CEO of Netzence Sustainability Limited, Dr. Sadiq Sani assured that his company is leveraging technology to tap into the over two billion dollars in potential within the forest sector.
In his remarks at the opening of the summit, Shettima stated that over 90 percent of Nigeria's original forest cover has been lost, with more than 400,000 hectares disappearing each year. He emphasized that this issue should be seen not just as an environmental crisis but as an "economic emergency."
He emphasized that the nation stands at a pivotal point, warning that ignoring forest resources leads directly to impoverishing both the country and its citizens.
We must recognize the immense importance of our forests. They are rich in biodiversity, timber, medicinal plants, and other valuable resources that support agriculture, trade, health care initiatives, climate resilience efforts, and financial systems. Despite this incredible potential being largely unexploited so far.
He stated, "Consider Vietnam, which earns over $15 billion annually from forest exports. Brazil's Amazon accounts for 15% of their GDP solely through forestry. Ethiopia has created 350,000 jobs thanks to reforestation and value chain development. Nigeria should not just emulate these achievements but also spearhead Africa's forest industrialization."
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