Federal Government Implements Nationwide Prohibition on Wood Exports and Nullifies All Licenses

The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared an immediate nationwide ban on the exportation of wood and allied products. This decisive action, announced by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, during the 18th National Council on Environment in Katsina State, includes the total revocation of all existing export licenses and permits.

This policy is anchored in the Presidential Executive Order on the Prohibition of Exportation of Wood and Allied Products, 2025. According to the Minister, the directive is a critical intervention designed to curb the alarming rates of illegal logging and deforestation across the country. Lawal emphasized that Nigeria’s forests are essential for environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity conservation, all of which are threatened by unchecked timber trade.

The ban is supported by Sections 17(2) and 20 of the 1999 Constitution, empowering the state to safeguard the environment and prevent the exploitation of natural resources for private gain. By ending raw wood exports, the government aims to encourage local processing, which will create domestic jobs and retain economic value within Nigeria.

Security agencies and relevant ministries have been mandated to enforce a total clampdown on illegal logging activities. While the move affects current timber merchants, environmental advocates have praised the administration’s commitment to protecting the nation’s shrinking forest cover. Stakeholders in the industry are now expected to shift their focus toward sustainable domestic wood production and value-added manufacturing.