The Federal Government has imposed an immediate, nationwide ban on the export of wood and allied products, cancelling all existing export licences and permits.
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The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, during the 18th meeting of the National Council on Environment held in Katsina State.
Lawal said the ban is contained in a Presidential Executive Order titled Presidential Executive Order on the Prohibition of Exportation of Wood and Allied Products, 2025, and is aimed at curbing illegal logging and halting the rapid loss of forest cover. He explained that Nigeria’s forests are essential for clean air and water, livelihoods, biodiversity and climate-change mitigation, warning that unchecked exports threaten these benefits.
The order was published in the Extraordinary Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 180, Vol. 112 of October 16, 2025, and is backed by Sections 17(2) and 20 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandate the protection of the environment and natural resources.
Security agencies, in collaboration with relevant ministries, have been directed to strictly enforce the ban and clamp down on illegal logging nationwide.
In his remarks, Katsina State Deputy Governor, Faruk Lawal Jobe, stressed the need for collective action on environmental challenges, noting that the state has prioritised afforestation and the fight against desertification.
The export ban highlights the government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s forest resources, addressing climate change and promoting sustainable environmental practices.
