By Victoria Omini
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – “Cross River State has lost over 60 per cent of its original forest cover. Large areas that were once dense rainforest have become degraded lands and grasslands. Thousands of logs are extracted daily, both legally and illegally, while wildlife hunting and trafficking continue to threaten biodiversity. Agricultural expansion, infrastructure development and weak enforcement mechanisms have compounded the crisis, turning what was once Nigeria’s richest rainforest ecosystem into a rapidly diminishing ecological asset.”
This was disclosed during a media briefing on Thursday in Calabar by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), including We The People (WTP), PADIC Africa, Uyo Iban, NGO Coalition for Environment, Nelson Ofem Initiative, Onyx Foundation Africa, Policy Alert, Nigerian Conservation Foundation, and Biodiversity Rescue Club, among others.
Presenting a policy report titled “Recommended Reviews of the Cross River State Forestry Law, 2010,” the coalition warned that without urgent legislative reform, the state risks permanently losing one of Nigeria’s most valuable ecological and economic resources.
Forest Crisis Beyond Environment
The CSOs described the situation as not merely environmental, but economic, social and generational. Cross River, they noted, hosts Nigeria’s largest and most biodiverse tropical rainforest ecosystem and forms part of the remaining Lower Guinean rainforest belt in West Africa.
“These forests regulate climate systems, protect watersheds, sustain forest-dependent communities and contribute significantly to carbon sequestration,” the coalition stated, stressing that, “Despite their importance, our forests are disappearing.”
According to the coalition, the current Forestry Law, enacted in 2010, no longer reflects contemporary environmental, economic, and governance realities. They argued that climate change has intensified, forest crimes have become more organised, and Nigeria has entered new national and international commitments on emissions reduction, afforestation and forest restoration.
“Our legal framework must evolve to meet these new realities,” the CSOs said.
Climate Change and Carbon Financing
A key recommendation of the report is aligning forest governance with climate change commitments. The coalition stressed that forests must now be treated not only as conservation assets but as climate assets.
They urged the state government to incorporate mitigation and adaptation strategies into the revised law, promote large-scale afforestation and reforestation, and position the Cross River to benefit from global carbon financing mechanisms.
Citing global climate funding estimated at approximately $1.46 trillion in 2022, largely targeted at forest-based solutions, the coalition said Cross River could systematically access such resources if the law is modernised to support carbon sequestration initiatives.
“Forest conservation and management must be understood as an economic opportunity aligned with global climate goals,” the report noted.
Tougher Sanctions for Forest Crimes
The coalition also called for stronger deterrence against illegal logging and wildlife trafficking. They criticised what they described as weak penalties under the current law.
“For instance, if a truck is seized during the commission of a forest crime, the penalty is a meagre N200,000 — a sum most illegal loggers will gladly pay and continue their crime,” the CSOs stated.
They recommended more proportionate sanctions, improved monitoring systems and stronger inter-agency coordination, warning that without credible deterrence, forest protection efforts would remain ineffective.
Governance Reform and Transparency
On institutional reform, the coalition said the 2010 law contains ambiguities in defining the roles of agencies and actors responsible for forest management.
They proposed clearer mandates, enhanced oversight mechanisms, transparent licensing processes and deliberate inclusion of communities, academia and civil society in forest governance structures.
“Effective forest management requires strong institutions,” the report stated, adding that reform must expand the governance ecosystem beyond government agencies alone.
Ecotourism and Community Inclusion
The CSOs further highlighted Cross River’s potential for ecotourism, arguing that its forests and biodiversity could generate revenue and create jobs if properly managed.
They called for the revised law to embed ecotourism principles, provide legal backing for conservation-based enterprises and encourage responsible public-private partnerships.
Perhaps most significantly, the coalition urged the meaningful inclusion of indigenous and forest-dependent communities in governance and benefit-sharing arrangements.
“These communities must not be treated as passive recipients of policy,” the report stated, noting that, “They must be active participants in decision-making, enforcement, monitoring and benefit-sharing.”
Recommendations include community participation in governance, co-management frameworks, recognition of traditional knowledge systems and community-based monitoring mechanisms.
Call for Vigilance
Former Chairman of the Cross River State Forestry Commission, Odigha Odigha, in his address, emphasised the need for sustained review of environmental laws and stronger media engagement.
“The review of the law is a constant process. There is no fixed law that can pass it all. Review is a process; it continues,” he said.
He urged journalists to move beyond headline-driven coverage and focus on environmental stewardship.
“If you are not talking about protecting the environment, then you are not responding to what matters most to humanity and to all of us, particularly the people,” he stated.
Describing Cross River as a biodiversity hotspot, Odigha warned against revenue-driven timber exploitation at a time when the state’s forests are already severely depleted.
“At this point in time, this is the only forest we have in Nigeria,” he said, adding that civil society input into law reform should not be dismissed by government actors.
He called for continuous intellectual engagement and openness to diverse perspectives, stressing that environmental governance requires collective responsibility.
A Decisive Moment
The coalition concluded that with over 60 per cent of forest cover already lost, incremental reform would be insufficient.
“Reforming the Forestry Law is not merely about protecting trees. It is about protecting biodiversity. It is about protecting livelihoods. It is about protecting climate stability. It is about protecting the economic future of Cross River State,” the CSOs stated.
They described the policy brief as the beginning of a broader legislative and collaborative process, urging the Cross River State House of Assembly and relevant authorities to act swiftly.
“The future of our forests and indeed our collective future depends on the decisions we make today,” the coalition declared.
Converseer reports that the briefing was led by prominent environmental advocates, including Mr Ken Henshaw (WTP), Dr Odigha Odigha (NGO Coalition for Environment), Dr Martins Egot (PADIC Africa), Okoho Ene (Uyo Iban), and Hon. Nelson Ofem (Nelson Ofem Initiative).
