The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has launched a one-year campaign to plant one million indigenous trees across the 19 states of Northern Nigeria.
The campaign commenced on Wednesday in Jama’are Local Government Area of Bauchi State and is scheduled to run from Sept. 2, 2026, to Sept. 1, 2027.
The Executive Director of CITAD, Mr Y. Z. Ya’u, said the initiative would combine large-scale tree planting with a pilot forest restoration programme aimed at rehabilitating degraded forest areas.
Ya’u said CITAD, in collaboration with partners, had planted 100 trees in an area of Jama’are that was formerly a forest, as part of the pilot restoration exercise.
He said the initiative was designed to demonstrate that degraded forest areas could be restored through deliberate intervention, sustained tree planting, community participation and proper monitoring.
“We are not only interested in planting one million trees and counting them; we also want to see how we can restore areas that have been degraded and lost their forest cover.
“That is why, together with our partners, we planted 100 trees in what used to be a forest here in Jama’are as a pilot forest restoration exercise,” he said.
Participants in the exercise included officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), forest guards and members of the host communities.
The exercise covered Kwanar Digiza, Jogayel and the Government Arabic College, Jama’are.
Among the indigenous tree species planted were mango, baobab, tamarind, Borassus aethiopum and shea butter trees, among others.
Ya’u said the campaign was aimed at addressing deforestation, desertification and environmental degradation affecting communities across Northern Nigeria.
He said environmentally fragile areas would be prioritised, while emphasis would be placed on indigenous tree species that were suitable for local environmental conditions.
According to him, communities and other stakeholders would be involved in nurturing and protecting the trees to ensure their survival.
Ya’u said CITAD would also deploy technology to map planting locations and monitor the growth and survival of the trees throughout the campaign.
He said digital tools would be used for data collection, evaluation and monitoring to assess the impact of the intervention.
“The use of technology will enable us to know where trees are planted, monitor their growth and survival, and evaluate the overall impact of the campaign,” he said.
The executive director said media platforms would also be used to create awareness and mobilise communities around tree planting, environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.
He called on governments, traditional institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, schools, youth groups and communities to support the initiative.
Ya’u urged communities to take ownership of the campaign by protecting and nurturing the trees planted in their areas.
He said the success of the initiative would depend on sustained community participation, effective monitoring and collective responsibility for environmental protection.
He added that the campaign formed part of CITAD’s broader commitment to promoting community-led solutions to environmental challenges and building a greener and more resilient Northern Nigeria.
