Nigeria Deforestation (BENDL Case)
CASE NUMBER: 191
CASE MNEMONIC: BENDL
CASE NAME: Nigeria Deforestation
A. IDENTIFICATION
1. The issue
Nigeria's tropical forest is depleting fast because of human
influence. This is a problem at the macro and micro -level; such
depletion is the result of government activities such as road
development, arable farming, and land clearing for pasture.
Statistic has shown that there is a negative correlation between
exploitation of the forest and conservation in Nigeria, and
according to Osemeobo, "the deficits in timber supply increased
pressures on logging and the illegal trade (Osemeobo, 319)."
2. Description
Projected demand, supply and deficit of forest products in
Nigeria 1987-2020 (thousand m3 )
PRODUCTS DEMAND SUPPLY DEFICITS
Fuelwood 628952 51540.0 577412
Transmission poles 1410.2 42.1 1368.1
Fencing poles 22598.9 1907.0 20691.9
Sawlogs 51563 4217.0 47346
Peeler logs for} 250.3 21.0 229.3
match splint }
Wood wastes for }
particle binding} 768.9 60.0 708.9
Feller logs for
veneer and plywood 4342.2 174.0 4168.4
Pulpwood 726.2 350.0 376.2
Total 710611.9 58311.1 652300.8
According to Aweto:
In Nigeria, the area previously characterized by
continuous forest cover has been converted into secondary
regrowth vegetation, mainly as a result of shifting
cultivation and lumbering. (Aweto, 127)
This is one of the controversial issues in international
trade. While some individuals and states encourage such trade in
order to generate revenue, others are campaigning against such
trade on grounds that deforestation is devastating to the
environment. The case of Nigeria is pathetic because the most
vulnerable group in the society (women and the poor) use some of
the wood as fire wood for cooking in the absence of cooking gas.
Deforestation is a form of disinvestment for the future generations
because the nutrients in the soil would have been lost in time and
space.
According to Anderson, "In low-income countries the
consumption of fuelwood energy by households is typically ten times
the total consumption of commercial energy for all purposes,
including transport and the generation of electricity; in Nigeria
it is twice the total (Anderson,7)." This case study is not
restricted to one part of Nigeria, but both the north and the
south, and has international dimension. According to Nigerian
Vice-President, Augustus Aikhomu, August 13, 1991, " Our
observation, however, is that the current rate of utilization of
plants and woods far out-strip the regeneration capacity of the
national vegetation."
There is no statistical proof to show that Nigeria has
immensely benefitted from lumber\timber trade, however, timber
trade existed either in form of domestic or external consumption.
Anderson notes that "Unpublished surveys in the arid northern zones
of Nigeria, for instance, report that farm tree densities have
declined from 15 to 3 a hectare since the 1950s (Anderson,9)."In
recent time, the Federal government of Nigeria controlled timber
trade (export licence) in order to conform with the global out cry
about wood trade as it affects the ozone.
Africa South of the Sahara, (using FAO estimates,'000 cubic
meters excluding bark) shows a yearly increase in the trade,
"Sawlogs, veneer logs and logs for sleepers, other industrial wood
and fuel wood (total) 101,598 (1987); 104,881 (1988); 108,298
(1989); (Africa, 2080)." Timber\lumber trade between Nigeria and
Europe and Asia dates back to pre-independence, when the
colonialists exploited lumber to develop their economy. These
forms of exploitation created a dependency syndrome between the
periphery (Nigeria) and core countries (the West). Timber\lumber
exported from Nigeria were used as raw materials by European
industries such as; paper (newsprint), telecommunication, and
furniture.
It is only in recent times that the world has witnessed an
increase in the world price of wood and lumber due to higher demand
in the world markets and other forms of control that affects the
supply. You will note from Table 3 attached to this paper that:
for the 33 commodity index (which excludes petroleum), real prices
in 1992 averaged only half of the immediate post - war level.
Timber is an exception because it is the only non-petroleum
commodity group that isn't close to it's historical low. Timber
prices, although have retreated from the 1980 high, have generally
been rising in real terms in the post-war period. Although, the
Nigerian government in the 1980s tried to control this form of
export trade through the issuance of export licence, but due to
internal pressure, local needs, poverty , the government became
relaxed. Others without export licence found ways to circumvent
the control.
Why did Nigeria become vulnerable to this kind of trade? Lack
of enforcement of legal and environmental policies, and lack of an
efficient customs department to monitor smuggling; inadequate
knowledge and information about ecology; role of powerful interest
groups on the forest for agricultural purpose. Besides, poverty,
urbanization, population growth and insecurity have contributed to
the vulnerability of Nigerians.
3. Related Cases
There are some TED cases that relate to the timber trade in
Nigeria. Such cases include:
USWOOD Case
AFRICA Case
CHILE Case
Keyword Clusters
(1): Bio-geography = TROPical
(2): Environmental Problem = DEFORestation
(3): Trade Product = WOOD
4. Draft authors: Shehu Ibrahim
B. LEGAL CLUSTER
5. Agreement and Discourse: DISagreement and INPROGress
6. Forum and Scope: NIGERia and UNILATeral
Timber trade in Nigeria in recent times is controlled by the
government. Timber can only be traded with export license. While
it is true that the government can directly conserve forest this
way, the inability to provide a substitute for cooking to the most
vulnerable would lead to the creation of scarcity and resultant
hike in the price of the product. This higher price would lead to
social unrest thereby creating more security problem for the
government. Another aspect of the licensing, is that it's subject
to abuse because of powerful interest groups that are in the trade;
besides , the government is also caught in the act of using the
licence to sustain patron-clientalist relationships in the society.
7. Number of Parties affected: 1
8. Legal standing: LAW
Nigerian laws are derived from pre-20th century English
statutes, but are now modified to suit Nigeria's socio-cultural
realities. However, most of the laws and decrees enacted in
respect of the trade are in accordance to Nigeria's National Law,
and International agreements. Note that references to caps,
volumes and pages are as in the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
There exist custom application. There is no case in court as
regards Bendel timber trade.
C. GEOGRAPHIC FILTERS
10. Geography
a) Continental domain: AFRICA
b) Geographic site: Western Africa [WAFR]
c) Geographic impact: NIGERia
The geographic domain in this case is West Africa, along which
the timber is being transported, and the activity areas would be
the conveyance routes, which include the Mediterranean sea,
Atlantic ocean, and River Niger estuary (Nigeria), and West coast
of Africa.
10. Sub-state: YES
11. Type of habitat: TROPical
D. TRADE FILTERS
12 Type of measure: Export Ban [EXBAN]
13. Impact: DIRect
14. Relation of measure to impact
Directly related YES WOOD
Indirectly related NO
Not related NO
Process YES DEFORestation
15. Product type: WOOD
16. Economic data
Timber and log are raw materials used by furniture companies,
paper industries, electric and telephone poles.
17. Degree of Competitive Impact: MEDium
18. Industry sector: FOOD
19. Exporter and Importer: NIGERia and MANY
E. ENVIRONMENT CLUSTERS
20. Environmental problem type: DEFORestation
Timber trade in Nigeria will continue to pose problems in
Nigeria. The areas coded as forest reserve, rain forest, and swamp
forest would soon be devoid of forest because of urbanization and
development in general. NEST (Nigerian Environmental Study Team)
cite Hodgson, L, "...Bendel State forest resources are depleted to
the point of exhaustion and the high forest is in great danger of
becoming a faint memory of the past (NEST, 157). Timber trade and
the clearing of forests are both international and national, which
requires urgent attention because if they are not protected "global
carbon, oxygen and hydrologic cycles" would be de-stabilized.
Therefore, Nigeria government and state governments should create
laws and regulations governing the exploitation and replacement of
these resources.
21. Species information
Annexes A and B show the threatened animal species that are of
concern in Nigeria, based on IUCM database; Nigerian Conservation
Strategy; Collar and Andrew, 1988): Mammals, Birds, Reptiles,
Amphibians. Annex C is a detailed endangered species of the
Nigerian Flora.
22. Impact and Effect: LOW and Structure [STRCT]
23. Urgency and lifetime: HIGH and 100 of years
24. Substitutes: LIKE
F. OTHER FACTORS
25. Culture: NO
26. Human rights: YES
27. Trans-boundary issues: NO
28. Relevant literature.
Aweto, A.O. "Plantation forestry and forest conservation in
Nigeria." The Environmentalist. 10:127-34 Summer 1990.
Agbede, O.O. "Improving agroforestry in Nigeria: effect of plant
density and interaction and crop production." Forest Ecology
and Management. v. 11. Aug. 1, 1985.
Federal Environmental Protection Agency, Nigeria. "Achieving
Sustainable Development in Nigeria" National Report for the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil. 1-12 1992.
Ghuman, B. S.; Lal, R. " Chloride movement in forest soils of
Nigeria" Soil Science Society of America Journal. v. 50.
Sept/Oct. 1986.
Hulugalle, N. R.; Lal, R. "Melioration of soil physical properties
by mucuna after mechanized land clearing of a tropical rain
forest" Soil Science. v.141. Mar. 1986.
Hyink, David M.; Seve, Juan E., reviewer. "The economics of
afforestation (book review)" Forest Science. v.37 June 1991.
Keay, R. W. J.; Hall, John B., reviewer. "Trees of Nigeria (book
review)" Forest Ecology and Management. v. 44. Nov. 15, 1991.
"Nigeria" Africa South of the Sahara. England, Europa Publishing
limited, 1993.
Nwoboshi, L. Chelunor. "Growth and nutrient requirements in a teak
plantation age series in Nigeria. Nutrient accumulation and
minimum annual requirements." Forest Science. v. 30. Mar.
1984.
Osemeobo, G.J. "A financial analysis of forest land use in Bendel,
Nigeria" Forest Ecology and Management. v. 40 May 31, 1991.
Osemeobo, G.J. " Impacts of multiple forest land use on wildlife
conservation in Bendel State, Nigeria" Biological
Conservation. v. 45 no3 (1988).
Osemeobo, G.J. "Land use policies and biotic conservation: problems
and prospects for forestry development in Nigeria." table(s)
Land Use Policy. 7:314-22. Oct 1990.
"Rubberwood : An export that conserves the environment."
International Trade Forum 1993. n2.
ANNEX A
TAXON COMMON NAME
Family Arthroleptidae
Cardioglossa melanogaster }
Cardioglossa shioetzi } Amphibians
Leptodactylon bicolar }
Family Cheloniidae Reptiles
Varanus examthematicus Short-tailed Lizard
Varanus niloticus Nile Monitor Lizard
Source : National Report for the United Nations Conference on
Environment. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 1-12 June 1992.
ANNEX B
NIGERIA: some threatened animal wildlife species.
Common Names Scientific Names Status
Drill Papio leucophaeus Extinct
Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes Endangered
Gorilla Gorilla gorilla Endangered
African Elephant Loxondonta africana Endangered
Leopard Panthera pardus Extinct
Lion Panthera leo Endangered
Ostrich Strithio camelus Extinct
Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus Endangered
Water chevrotain Crocodilus miloticus Endangered
Source: IUCN, Nigeria: Conservation of Biological Diversity, World
Conservation Monotoring Centre, Cambridge, UK, 1988, pp 54.
ANNEX C
ENDANGERED SPECIES OF THE NIGERIAN FLORA DISTRIBUTION OF
ENDANGERED PLANT SPECIES WITHIN THE DIFFERENT FAMILIES
Family No of Family No of
Endangered Endangered
Plant Species Plant Species
(a) (b)
ACANTHACEAE 26 CYATHEACEAE
ADIANTACEAE 5 DENNSTAEDTIACEAE 1
AGAVACEAE 2 DICHAPETALACEAE 11
AMARANTACEAE 1 BBENACEAE 7
ANANCARDIACEAE 7 ERICACEAE 2
ANNONACEAE 15 ERIOCAULACEAE 3
APOCYNACEAE 19 EUPHORBIACEAE 31
ARACEAE 3 FLACOURTIACEAE 7
ARALIACEAE 1 GENTIANACEAE 2
ARISTOLOCHIACEAE 3 GERANIACEAE 1
ASCLEPIADACEAE 2 GNETACEAE 1
ASPIDIACEAE 7 GOODENNIACEAE 1
ASPLENIACEAE 6 GRAMINEAE 19
ATWYRIACEAE 2 GUTTIFERAE 4
BALSAMINACEAE 1 HYPHMENOPHYLACEAE 4
BEGONIACEAE 2 HYPERICABEAE 3
BORAGINACEAE 4 ICACINACEAE 2
APOCYNACEAE 19 GUTTIFERAE 4
ARACEAE 3 IRICEAE 1
ARALIACEAE 1 LABIATAE 6
ARISTOLOCHIACEAE 3 LAURACEAE 2
ASCLEPIADACEAE 2 LECYTHIDACEAE 2
ASPIDIACEAE 7 LEMNACEAE 1
ASPLENIACEAE 6 LENTIBULARIACEAE 1
ATWYRIACEAE 2 LILIACEA 2
BALSAMINACEAE 1 LOBELIACEAE 3
BEGONIACEAE 2 LOGANIACEAE 4
BORAGINACEAE 4 LOMARIOPSIDACEAE 2
BURSERACEAE 1 LORANTHACEAE 1
BUTOMACEAE 1 LYCOPODIACEAE 1
CAESALPINIACEAE 13 MALVACEAE 1
CAPPARIDACEAE 2 MARANTACEAE 1
CARYOPHYCACEAE 2 MELASTOMATACEAE 8
CELASTRACEAE 6 MENISPERMABEAE 2
COMBRETACEAE 9 MIMOSACEAE 3
COMMELINACEAE 3 MONIMIACEAE 2
COMPOSITAE 36 MORACEAE 2
CONNARACEAE 6 MYRTACEAE 1
CONVOLVULACEAE 3 NAJADACEAE 1
CRUCIFERAE 1 OCHNACEAE 1
CUCURBITACEAE 6 OBTOKNEMATACEAE 1
CYPERACEAE 1 OLACACEAE 1
(a) (b)
OLEACEAE 1
ONAGRABEAE 1
OPILLACACEAE 2
ORCHIDACEAE 23
OROBANCHACEAE 1
OXALIDACEAE 2
PAPILIONACEAE 8
PEDALIACEAE 1
PITTOSPORACEAE 2
PLANTAGINACEAE 1
PODOSTEMACEAE 2
PROTACEAE 1
RANUNCULACEAE 2
ROSACEAE 3
RUBIACEAE 16
RUTACEAE 3
SALVADORACEAE 1
SANTALACEAE 1
SAPINDACEAE 8
SAPOTACEAE 2
SCROPHULARIACEAE 2
SCYTOPETALACEAE 2
SELAGINELLACEAE 1
SIMAROUBACEAE 2
SLOANACEAE 1
STERCULIACEAE 4
THELYPTERIODACEAE 2
THYMELAEACEAE 3
TILIACEAE 2
ULMACEAE 1
UMELLIFERAE 3
URTICACEAE 2
VERBENACEAE 2
VIOLACEAE 2
VITTARIACEAE 1
VOCHYSIACEAE 1
XYRIDACEAE 1
ZINGIBERACEAE 2
Source: Federal Environmental Protection Agency, August, 1991.
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