Climate Change: Nigerian Government Seeks More Use Of Bamboo Trees

The Nigerian government is seeking more ways to exploit the enormous benefits of bamboo trees for the socio-economic development of the country.

This also includes the production and utilization of bamboo products or technologies that will help
to forestall environmental degradation, improve the economy, mitigate climate change, and create sustainable livelihood and jobs.

The goal is to be in tandem with the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

At a one-day collaborative stakeholders workshop on the utilization of bamboo technology to improve the economy and sustainable livelihood which was organized by the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Nigerian Building Roads and Research Institute NBRRI, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Monilola Udoh said achieving this will help Nigeria fulfil her commitment under the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of the Paris Agreement which entails cutting emissions in seven strategic sectors of the economy.

She noted that bamboo has the potential to mitigate climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and promoting reforestation.

“No doubt, by promoting the use of bamboo, a sustainable economy that would be beneficial to both Nigerians and our environment would be created. Moreover, it will create an opportunity for stakeholders to come together to explore the latest advances in bamboo technology, see existing products from bamboo technologies and in addition, share experiences and knowledge about how best to harness this resource for the benefit of Nigerians” She said.

Mrs Udoh added that the workshop aims to explore the potential of bamboo as a versatile and eco-friendly resource for various industrial and economic diversification and job creation which is in line with the present administration.

• Stakeholders Seek Inclusion In Climate Change Policy Structure
• Farmers Seek Better Policies On Climate Change In 2023

The Director General, Nigerian Building Roads and Research Institute NBRRI, Prof Samson Duna noted that the institute is mandated to carry out research and investigation to provide alternative construction materials which is cheaper, affordable and friendly to the environment.

“Bamboo has come to stay, and the good thing about it is that it is friendlier in terms of production in Nigeria. We can use it for scaffolding, as support for decking, for roofing, as a walling material and much more” he said.

The Director Environmental, Sciences and Technology of the Ministry, Dr Peter Ekweozoh said that it is the duty of the Ministry to promote R&D output that offers bright prospects of commercialization.

“What is interesting in the work of NBBRI is that they have been able to come up with a laminated bamboo structure that you can use in roofing, in the ceiling and as floor tiles,” he said.

Alternative to other materials 

Presenting a paper on the effective utilization of bamboo in Nigeria, Mr Nwanade Ocean said that bamboo has been identified as a highly sustainable alternative to a lot of materials ranging from the construction sector to the textile sector.

“Globally, there are a lot of climate change issues, considering our own position and the potential of bamboo as a significant carbon sink, it is time that we embrace bamboo as a material now and use it as vastly as we can and take advantage of it as much as we can” Ocean said.

Another Presenter Chioma Amudi also said that the utilization of bamboo trees is Nigeria’s way of integrating nature base solutions of mitigating issues of climate change.

“Bamboo is a tree that is resilient to the issue of climate change and also has a lot of advantages. It grows faster and multiplies. It can be used as an alternative without deforesting the forest tree.”

She added that bamboo has about ten thousand uses, urging that the advantages of bamboo be transmitted to the grassroots.

Emmanuel Ukoh