Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, in partnership with the Forest Research Institute of Nigeria, the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, last Friday successfully carried out a major tree-planting exercise at the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment, Abuja.
In a statement, it was noted that the initiative, which saw the planting of over 20,000 indigenous tree seedlings, marked a significant contribution to Nigeria’s fight against deforestation, climate change, and biodiversity loss, reaffirming Julius Berger’s broader commitment to responsible environmental stewardship and sustainable development.
It stated, “The effort, which was a collaborative blend of expertise and shared vision, saw the FRIN leading the technical aspects of species selection and ecological suitability, while NCF brought in decades of conservation experience and community engagement, with Julius Berger providing the funding and coordination support.”
Speaking at the event, the Dean of the Faculty of General Research at the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, J.Y. Maina, representing the Chief of Army Staff, O.O. Oluyede, underscored the strategic importance of environmental protection in national security.
He 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.
“Even as he praised Julius Berger’s leadership and commitment, calling the collaboration a shining example of how the military, government institutions, and the private sector can work together for sustainable development.”
Meanwhile, the Zonal Coordinator, Nigeria Conservation Foundation, Garba Boyi, who represented the Director-General, NCF, Dr. Joseph Onoja, said the Foundation was a non-governmental organisation, adding that the organisation’s focus and mandate was in the area of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in Nigeria.
He added, “For us to achieve that, we have developed or come up with an initiative, which we call Green Recovery Nigeria. This is an initiative that is meant actually to salvage the situation in which our vegetation happens to be. Because going by the statistics, we have less than 10 per cent of our vegetation cover left. So, we, as an organisation, feel the need to contribute our quota to complement the government activity by planting trees.”
The Chief Executive of Ceed Africa Limited, Dr. Okechukwu Ogbonna, commended Julius Berger for the funding support for the exercise even as the Director of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria.
