By Oluwaseyi Otitoju
The National Association of Charcoal Producers, Dealers, Exporters, and Afforestation of Nigeria (NACPDEAN) had promised bold reforms during its visit to the Council. This, they said, includes coming up with strategies, implementing self-regulation, exploring local applications, and processing avenues for charcoal and related products.
The delegations who were received by the Director General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, at the Council’s headquarters in Abuja pledged this as a result of the recent Executive Order issued by the Honourable Minister of Environment, placing an outright ban on the export of charcoal and wood-based raw materials.
The measure was taken in response to concerns about deforestation and environmental degradation.
Leading the NACPDEAN delegation, National President Mr. Babatunde Edu stated that the association had been wrongly portrayed as a major contributor to deforestation across Nigeria. He clarified that NACPDEAN, established only in 2024, has so far facilitated the reforestation of over 3,000 hectares of land and promotes non-wood alternatives for domestic and industrial fuel needs.
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Edu emphasized that a regulatory approach, rather than an outright ban, would better serve national interests by curbing illegal activities while encouraging sustainable practices. He appealed to RMRDC for support in advocating a structured regulatory framework that enables in-country value addition rather than the unregulated export of raw charcoal.
In response, Professor Ike-Muonso encouraged the association to adopt self-regulatory mechanisms as a matter of urgency. He stressed that every actor within the charcoal value chain must be aligned with the national goal of adding value to charcoal as an industrial input for personal care, pharmaceutical, and other sectors.
During the interactive session with the Council’s senior management, the discussion shifted from the ban to exploring tangible pathways for domestic value addition.
The director, Planning, Statistics and Policy Department (PSPD), Mrs. Rachel Kotso urged the association to pivot from lobbying against the ban to initiating research-driven strategies for value-added processing of charcoal. This, she said, would support the Council’s mission to reduce dependence on raw exports and strengthen indigenous capacity within the sector.
Other directors echoed this sentiment, reaffirming that RMRDC’s mandate is not to promote the export of raw materials but to ensure at least 30% value addition before any consideration for export. This aligns with the Council’s broader industrialization goals.
The NACPDEAN delegation expressed commitment to “look inwards and ensure the forest sector is sustained.
This pivotal engagement with RMRDC marks a turning point and an opportunity to refocus national efforts on optimizing charcoal as a strategic raw material, both for domestic industries and long-term sustainable export.
