African Forest Investment Roundtable to be held in Lagos

AI-summarized · Neutrality-checked

The African Forest Forum (AFF), led by executive secretary Labode Popoola, scheduled an invitation-only roundtable for 8 September 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria, to solicit pledges for the new African Forestry Trust Fund (AFTF). The initiative, supported by the Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Champions for Africa Initiative and the African Union Commission, aimed to transition forestry from a conservation focus toward an industrial model centered on value chains, job creation, and green industry. Lagos was selected as the host site due to its existing climate initiatives, including the Lagos Carbon Exchange and the national clean cookstoves program. The roundtable sought to address the loss of approximately 4 million hectares of African forest annually by pooling capital from governments, private investors, and development finance institutions.

Consequences

The roundtable served as the primary mechanism for generating the initial financial commitments for the AFTF, which is intended to fund forest restoration and research across the continent. By hosting the event, Lagos positioned itself to further its strategic goal of becoming a hub for climate capital and carbon market activity, building upon existing efforts to mobilize up to US$3 billion in related investments.

Sources

Know where. Know why.