The African Forest Forum (AFF) and the Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Champions for Africa jointly convened a High-Level Business and Philanthropic Leaders Roundtable in Lagos, Nigeria, on 8 September 2026. The meeting brought together leaders from government, business, philanthropy and development finance to explore how investment in forests can create enterprises and jobs while sustaining the resources on which communities depend.
The discussion centred on the African Forestry Trust Fund (AFTF), which AFF is establishing with support from the SFM Champions for Africa, the African Union Commission (AUC) and other strategic partners. The Fund is designed to mobilise capital for sustainable forest management, restoration and forest-based enterprises, strengthening African ownership of forestry finance alongside international cooperation.
Opening the Roundtable, Prof. Larwanou Mahamane, Chair of the AFF Governing Council, highlighted the importance of forests to Africa’s economies and communities. He positioned the Lagos meeting as the first in a series of strategic engagements across African capitals and business centres, with Nigeria offering an important starting point given its forestry challenges and investment opportunities.
H.E. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, former Vice President of Nigeria and Chair of the SFM Champions for Africa, urged African governments and businesses to recognise forests as strategic assets. Growing international interest in African forest rights, he argued, signals their long-term economic importance. He called for this wealth to be better reflected in national accounts and for African institutions to take greater responsibility for financing its protection and development. Highlighting AFF’s longstanding reliance on external support, he presented the Trust Fund as an opportunity to strengthen African contributions to the continent’s forest future.
Speaking on behalf of Lagos State Governor H.E. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Honourable Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, emphasised the need to create jobs and sustain livelihoods while protecting natural resources. Achieving this, he said, requires cooperation between government, business and communities.
AFF Executive Secretary and CEO Prof. Labode Popoola developed this argument through his presentation of the investment case. Growing demand for forest products creates opportunities in sustainable production and local processing, he said, but government budgets and donor support alone cannot meet the scale of the need. He presented a pathway connecting restoration and sustainable management with enterprise development, where the value created can support further investment. Drawing on AFF’s technical expertise and relationships with communities and governments, he invited businesses and philanthropists to help develop these opportunities, guided by sustainability and fair benefit sharing.
Building partnerships for Africa’s forest bioeconomy
The virtual keynote presentations placed these opportunities within wider industrial and economic changes. Speaking on “Forest Bioeconomy and Investment,” Mr. Stefan Schepers, Executive Director of the High-Level Groups on EU Policy Innovation at Centre Condorcet in Brussels, highlighted the potential of biosciences and biomaterials to generate new industries and employment.
He argued that well-managed forests can supply the growing bioeconomy while remaining productive assets for future generations. For Africa to capture greater economic benefits, he called for stronger research investment, effective financial markets and regional trade integration within a strategy shaped by African priorities.
Addressing “The Changing Global Order, Partnerships and Financing,” Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), examined Africa’s opportunities in an increasingly multipolar world. He urged countries to strengthen continental cooperation, mobilise domestic resources and build long-term international partnerships, cautioning against external aid. He also announced plans to work with the African Union Commission on identifying sectors that could drive growth through 2040, including forestry, with preliminary findings expected at the AU Summit in January 2027.
Making investment work
A panel discussion moderated by Dr. Doris Mutta, Senior Programme Officer at AFF, examined how to translate these opportunities into projects that attract finance and deliver results. Ms. Juliette Biao, Director of the United Nations Forum on Forests, emphasised inclusion, alignment with continental priorities and African participation in international forest processes. Mr. Harsen Nyambe, Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy at the AUC, called for existing frameworks to be put into practice and for more forest products to be processed within Africa.
Prof. Emmanuel Mutisya of the African Development Bank highlighted financing arrangements suited to forest projects and community participation. A representative of the Government of Nigeria stressed predictable policies and measures to reduce investment risks.
Private sector feedback sharpened the focus on implementation. A Zenith Bank representative encouraged engagement with businesses as partners and investors, alongside donors, and expressed hope that the Fund would support bankable initiatives capable of attracting further capital. PRECOS expressed interest in future partnerships, drawing on its plantation and agribusiness activities. Other business contributions highlighted carbon finance and the importance of community support to the long-term success of investments.
Mr. Farhan Jimba Moshood, Chair of the AfricanYouth4Forests (AY4F) Youth Advisory Council, called for young people to play an active role in forest businesses, entrepreneurship and decision-making, alongside benefiting from employment.
Across the discussion, a common message emerged: unlocking capital requires trust, transparent governance and projects that investors can assess with confidence. Partnerships between public and private institutions can help manage risks, while stronger project preparation can improve access to instruments such as green bonds and carbon finance. Participants also stressed that investment must support local value addition and meaningful participation by communities and young people.
These priorities will inform the Fund’s development and AFF’s follow-up with prospective partners. The task ahead is to connect financing with initiatives that can deliver commercial value, healthier forests and lasting benefits for the people who depend on them.
About AFF and the SFM Champions for Africa Initiative
AFF is an independent, not-for-profit pan-African organisation dedicated to the sustainable management, wise use and conservation of Africa’s forests and tree resources. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, it connects forestry knowledge, policy dialogue, capacity development and partnerships across the continent. The SFM Champions for Africa bring influential leaders from government, business and civil society together to advocate for sustainable forestry and mobilise support for it.
For more information on the African Forestry Trust Fund, contact:
Tefera Endalamaw via T.Endalamaw@landscapealliance.org.