The Borno State Government on Thursday launched the 2026 National Tree Planting Campaign, unveiling a four-million-seedling afforestation initiative and announcing the distribution of 23,700 free clean cooking gas cylinders to teachers and environmental vanguards across the state’s 27 local government areas to curb deforestation and promote environmental sustainability.
The campaign, flagged off in Maiduguri by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum alongside the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawan, forms part of efforts to restore degraded ecosystems, reduce dependence on firewood and strengthen climate resilience across the state.
Governor Zulum said beneficiaries of the clean cooking initiative would also receive refill vouchers redeemable through designated vendors, describing the programme as a practical step towards reducing carbon emissions, improving public health and protecting the state’s forests.
The governor explained that the first phase would see 5,000 gas cylinders and clean cooking stoves distributed to teachers and environmental vanguards in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere Local Government Area, while beneficiaries in the remaining 25 local government areas would receive theirs in subsequent phases.
“I am particularly delighted that today’s programme also includes the distribution of clean cooking stoves and 5,000 cooking gas cylinders to school teachers. The programme does not end with the distribution of the gas cylinders; we shall also give them vouchers they will use to refill their cylinders through designated vendors,” Zulum said.
He said the initiative would significantly reduce pressure on forests while improving the welfare of thousands of households across the state.
“This initiative will significantly reduce dependence on firewood, improve household health, protect our forests, reduce carbon emissions and improve the quality of life of thousands of families across our communities. My administration will provide cylinders to the remaining teachers in other local government areas of the state,” he added.
The governor described environmental restoration as a key pillar of his administration’s post-conflict recovery agenda, stressing that rebuilding communities must go hand in hand with restoring the ecosystems that sustain them.
“As we reconstruct communities affected by conflict, we must equally restore the ecosystems that sustain them. Sustainable peace and sustainable development cannot flourish in a degraded environment,” Zulum said.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawan, described Borno’s approach of combining tree planting with clean cooking alternatives as an innovative model worthy of emulation across the country.
“This is the first time I have seen tree planting connected with alternatives. The governor is giving out 5,000 clean cooking stoves to our teachers. If you can remove 5,000 people from using firewood, it is a great achievement, and I commend the governor for that,” Lawan said.
The minister added that the Federal Government was officially launching the planting of four million tree seedlings, noting that Borno had already planted more than 20 million trees through previous environmental restoration programmes.
“Today we are also launching the planting of four million seedlings. I have also heard that more than 20 million trees have already been planted in Borno State. It is a laudable achievement, and we will encourage other states to emulate what Borno has been doing,” he said.
West Trybe reports that desertification, deforestation and climate change continue to threaten livelihoods across Nigeria’s Northeast, where dependence on firewood has accelerated forest depletion. Governments and development partners have increasingly adopted large-scale tree planting and clean cooking initiatives to restore degraded land, improve household energy access and strengthen environmental sustainability across the region.
