Governor Zulum to Sponsor 540 Borno Students to Federal College of Forestry
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has pledged to sponsor 540 indigenes of the state to study at the Federal College of Forestry and Resources Management, Maiduguri, in a move aimed at strengthening environmental education and building the next generation of forestry and natural resource professionals.
Governor Zulum made the announcement during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Top Management Retreat and National Tree Planting Campaign, organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Borno State Government in Maiduguri.
Under the initiative, the governor said 20 students from each of Borno State’s 27 Local Government Areas would benefit from the scholarship programme.
The retreat was held under the theme: “Strengthening Enforcement, Innovation and Institutional Performance for Sustainable Environmental Governance.”
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, commended Governor Zulum for his commitment to environmental sustainability and human capital development.
He described the scholarship initiative as a significant investment in Nigeria’s forestry education and encouraged other state governors to emulate the gesture by sponsoring students to the network of Federal Colleges of Forestry and Resources Management across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
The minister also praised Governor Zulum’s leadership in environmental restoration, climate action and sustainable development, noting that Borno State has continued to demonstrate resilience despite years of environmental and security challenges.
Lawal highlighted the Presidential Executive Order on the Prohibition of Exportation of Wood and Allied Products, 2025, describing it as a key policy under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu aimed at combating illegal logging, protecting Nigeria’s forests and promoting nationwide tree planting.
He reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Environment’s commitment to partnering with state governments on afforestation, ecosystem restoration and climate resilience initiatives.
According to the minister, Nigeria continues to face serious environmental challenges, including desertification, flooding, erosion, deforestation, oil pollution and the growing impacts of climate change, stressing that collective action remains essential to safeguarding the country’s natural resources.
Lawal noted that under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the ministry has intensified efforts to promote environmental sustainability through programmes such as the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall.
He disclosed that the initiatives have restored more than 1.14 million hectares of degraded land and supported the planting of over 1.5 million trees nationwide.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr. Salihu Aminu Usman, thanked Governor Zulum and the people of Borno State for hosting the retreat, describing Maiduguri as a symbol of resilience, recovery and innovation.
He said the choice of Borno as the venue reflected the state’s remarkable progress in rebuilding and promoting sustainable environmental management.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Borno State Agency for the Great Green Wall, Ambassador Aliyu Usman, said Borno has emerged as one of Nigeria’s leading states in afforestation, climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, ecosystem restoration and sustainable water resource management.
He added that over 3.3 hectares of degraded land have been restored through various environmental interventions, attributing the achievements to Governor Zulum’s commitment to combating climate change and improving the livelihoods of the people.
Activities during the retreat included the National Tree Planting Campaign, technical presentations, the Minister’s working visits to the Shehu of Borno, the National Park Service, and the Federal College of Forestry and Resources Management in Maiduguri.
The scholarship initiative is expected to strengthen environmental education, promote sustainable forest management and equip young Nigerians with the skills needed to address climate change and environmental conservation challenges across the country.
Governor Zulum to Sponsor 540 Borno Students to Federal College of Forestry