Views: 219 Author: Li Publish Time: 2026-01-26 Origin: Site
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● Nigeria Fully Implements Timber Export Ban, Industry Enters In-depth Adjustment Period
Recently, the international market for African hardwood has witnessed a number of important changes, covering three core areas: origin supervision, export policies and trade prices, which directly affect the global hardwood trade pattern. SHD WOOD (HONG KONG SENHEDA WOOD LIMITED) timely sorts out key information to provide accurate references for industry partners and customers, helping them grasp market trends and avoid operational risks.
On January 14th, the Government of Ghana officially established a 9-member National Timber Monitoring Team in Accra, with the inauguration ceremony presided over by Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources. This initiative aims to comprehensively curb illegal logging, protect forest resources, and promote the sustainable development of the timber industry. The team will be responsible for the whole-process monitoring of timber felling, transportation and trade, closely cooperate with the Forestry Commission, security agencies and local authorities, strictly implement relevant forestry laws and regulations, and fill the previous regulatory gaps.
The Ghanaian Minister of Lands and Natural Resources emphasized that forests are important national assets of Ghana, but they have long been facing serious threats from illegal chainsaw operations and unauthorized logging. The newly established monitoring team will become the "eyes and ears" of national forest protection, requiring team members to adhere to their duties and never compromise. Dr. Hugh Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, revealed that the problem of illegal logging has persisted for decades, and some forest officials have been abducted by illegal loggers. The establishment of this monitoring team will further strengthen supervision and promote the transformation of Ghana's hardwood industry towards compliance and sustainability. Alhaji Mohammed Kwaku Doku, Chairman of the Monitoring Team, stated that the team is fully aware of the work risks, will focus on strengthening intelligence collection and multi-party cooperation, resolutely fulfill the regulatory mission, and call on the public and communities to jointly resist illegal activities that damage forest resources. This initiative will significantly enhance the international credibility of Ghanaian hardwood and create a more fair market environment for legally operating enterprises.
On January 16th, the Nigerian government officially fully implemented a ban on the export of timber and related products, revoking all existing timber export licenses. This measure was introduced in accordance with a presidential executive order, with the core purpose of curbing illegal logging and forest degradation, while promoting the transformation of the domestic timber industry from raw material export to high-value-added deep processing, helping to boost employment growth and optimize the economic structure.
It is understood that Nigeria's forest resources have been severely degraded due to long-term commercial logging, agricultural expansion and other factors. The implementation of this ban has received support from more than 300 civil society organizations, and all parties have called on the government to strengthen law enforcement transparency to avoid repeating the mistakes of previous ineffective implementation of similar bans. Ngozi Oyewole, Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Furniture Group, stated that 2026 will be a turning point for Nigeria's timber and furniture manufacturing industry. After the ban is implemented, local producers will have a more sufficient supply of raw materials, and are expected to further increase output, enrich product types and improve product quality. In addition, the Nigerian government also plans to establish timber processing free trade zones in Edo State, Ogun State and other places, and implement the reforestation regulation of "planting two trees for each one felled" to promote the green and sustainable development of the industry. It should be particularly noted that local environmental protection organizations have issued a named warning to guard against illegal plundering of endangered species such as redwood by foreign criminal networks, and relevant practitioners must strictly abide by local laws and regulations.
Against the backdrop of the overall sluggish market, Congo (Brazzaville)'s timber exports to China have performed brilliantly with contrarian growth. Customs data show that Congo (Brazzaville)'s timber exports to China reached 94,600 cubic meters in November, accounting for 45.2% of Africa's total hardwood exports to China, of which log exports accounted for 72.2%, a year-on-year increase of 55.8%. The main export varieties are tropical hardwoods such as okoume and sapelli, which are widely used in furniture manufacturing and decoration engineering fields, and the export unit price remains stable. In contrast, the year-on-year decline in hardwood exports to China from traditional African hardwood supplying countries such as Gabon and Cameroon exceeded 40%. Congo (Brazzaville) has become the core driving force for the growth of African hardwood exports to China, and this change in trade flow is worthy of the focus of industry partners.
As a professional operator in the field of African timber international trade, SHD WOOD has always closely followed the dynamics of the global African hardwood market, strictly abided by the forestry laws and regulations of various countries and the principles of sustainable development, and deeply cultivated the supply chain of high-quality African hardwood resources. The recent upgrading of supervision in Ghana and the implementation of the export ban in Nigeria will further promote the transformation of the African hardwood industry towards compliance and high value-added, which is conducive to the healthy development of the industry in the long run; while the contrarian growth of Congo (Brazzaville)'s exports to China has also brought new opportunities for Sino-Congolese timber trade cooperation.
In the future, SHD WOOD will continue to integrate high-quality African hardwood resources, timely deliver cutting-edge market dynamics, provide global customers with compliant, high-quality and cost-effective timber products and professional trade solutions, and work with industry partners to embrace new market opportunities and promote the sustainable development of the industry.
Li
SHD WOOD (HONG KONG SENHEDA WOOD LIMITED)
https://www.shdtimber.com/
WhatsApp：+8619864685015
