Julius Berger Nigeria Plc has joined hands with the Forest Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) to plant more than 20,000 indigenous tree seedlings at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment in Abuja. The major tree-planting exercise, which took place last Friday, was described as a bold step in Nigeria’s efforts to fight deforestation, climate change, and biodiversity loss.
According to a statement released after the exercise, the initiative was a collaborative project that brought together expertise, conservation experience, and funding support. FRIN was responsible for leading the technical aspects such as selecting suitable species and ensuring ecological balance. The NCF contributed decades of knowledge in conservation and community engagement, while Julius Berger provided funding, coordination, and logistical support to make the project a success.
The tree planting was also seen as part of Julius Berger’s broader commitment to responsible environmental stewardship and sustainable development in Nigeria. The company has in recent years invested in projects that support communities, protect the environment, and promote sustainable practices.
At the event, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General O.O. Oluyede, was represented by the Dean of the Faculty of General Research at the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, Brigadier General J.Y. Maina. He highlighted the strategic importance of tree planting, saying that environmental protection has a direct connection to national security.
General Maina said, “Today’s exercise is a practical demonstration of our shared recognition that environmental protection is inseparable from national security. Climate change, desertification, and environmental degradation pose long-term threats to our country’s stability. Tree planting is not just an ecological necessity; it is a strategic investment in our collective future.”
He commended Julius Berger for its leadership in supporting the project and praised the collaboration as a shining example of how the military, private sector, and government institutions can work together to promote sustainable development in Nigeria.
Also speaking at the event, the Zonal Coordinator of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Mr. Garba Boyi, who represented the Director-General of NCF, Dr. Joseph Onoja, explained that the organisation’s mandate is rooted in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. He stressed the importance of restoring Nigeria’s vegetation cover, which has declined drastically in recent decades.
Mr. Boyi said, “For us to achieve this, we developed an initiative called Green Recovery Nigeria. This initiative is designed to salvage the condition of our vegetation, which is currently in danger. Going by statistics, we have less than 10 per cent of our vegetation cover left. As an organisation, we feel the need to contribute our quota by complementing government efforts through tree planting.”
The Chief Executive of Ceed Africa Limited, Dr. Okechukwu Ogbonna, who also attended the event, commended Julius Berger for sponsoring and supporting the initiative. He described the project as an important intervention at a time when Nigeria is grappling with deforestation and environmental degradation.
The Director of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria also applauded the collaboration, emphasising that partnerships like this are essential for achieving long-term environmental sustainability in Nigeria. He noted that the choice of indigenous species for the tree planting would help restore natural ecosystems, protect soil fertility, and improve resilience against climate change.
Stakeholders present at the event agreed that such initiatives were not only vital for ecological balance but also critical for future generations. They called for more private sector organisations to emulate Julius Berger by investing in sustainable projects that support Nigeria’s environmental and developmental goals.
Environmental experts have long warned that Nigeria is losing its forest cover at an alarming rate due to logging, urbanisation, and agricultural expansion. The country’s vegetation cover has dropped to less than 10 per cent, a situation that has worsened desertification in the northern states and flooding in parts of the south. Initiatives like the Abuja tree-planting exercise are therefore seen as necessary interventions to restore balance and safeguard Nigeria’s ecological future.
With over 20,000 trees now planted at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment, stakeholders say the exercise will help create new green spaces, restore biodiversity, and contribute to Nigeria’s climate change commitments. Julius Berger and its partners pledged to sustain the effort and expand tree planting projects to other parts of the country in the coming years.
