UK Supports Nigeria’s Gashaka Gumti Forest Carbon Project in Groundbreaking Climate Initiative

Nigeria’s largest national park, the iconic Gashaka Gumti Forest, has earned a prestigious spot on the global environmental stage. The park’s carbon project has been selected as one of the first beneficiaries of the UK-backed Carbon Accelerator Programme for the Environment (CAPE), an initiative designed to fast-track early-stage nature-based climate solutions across Africa.

Chosen from over 100 applicants spanning 28 African countries, the Gashaka Gumti Forest Carbon Project is among only four pioneering projects granted feasibility and development support under CAPE’s inaugural cohort. This groundbreaking programme, funded by FSD Africa—a UK financial sector development agency—and implemented in partnership with leading environmental groups, aims to mobilize investment into carbon projects that reduce emissions, enhance carbon capture, protect biodiversity, and generate sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

Gashaka Gumti, Nigeria’s largest and most biodiverse national park, plays a crucial role as a biodiversity hotspot in West Africa. The project focuses on the natural regeneration of degraded forest ecosystems within the park, with the dual goals of sequestering millions of tonnes of carbon and safeguarding endangered wildlife species. Beyond climate benefits, the initiative is poised to foster economic opportunities for local residents by creating jobs and sustainable income sources.

The programme supports projects representing diverse ecological zones across Africa, including mangrove restoration in Kenya’s Papariko area, forest conservation in Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains, and rangeland restoration in Zambia’s Barotse region. The selection criteria emphasize not only environmental impact but also community involvement, scalability, and alignment with carbon market demands.

Reshma Shah, Carbon Markets Lead at FSD Africa, hailed CAPE as a transformative effort to unlock Africa’s natural capital for climate action and inclusive growth. “These projects go beyond generating carbon credits; they redefine how the world invests in nature and recognize its intrinsic value for planetary health and economic resilience,” she stated.

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For Nigeria, the Gashaka Gumti project marks a vital step forward in positioning the country as a leader in Africa’s green economy transition. If successful, it could attract significant private and public investment, helping to close the global biodiversity funding gap estimated at hundreds of billions of dollars annually.

Launching in November 2024, CAPE addresses the critical shortage of early financing for nature-based carbon projects, providing recoverable grants and expert advisory to move projects from concept to investment-ready stages. The programme underscores the urgent need to harness Africa’s rich natural assets for sustainable development in the face of climate change challenges.

With the UK’s endorsement and international support, Nigeria’s Gashaka Gumti Forest Carbon Project is set to become a blueprint for future environmental stewardship and a beacon of hope for communities and ecosystems alike.