African forest investment takes centre stage at Lagos business roundtable

The African Forest Forum (AFF) and Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Champions for Africa Initiative are set to host a high-level roundtable in Lagos on September 8, 2026, to explore investment opportunities in Africa's forests. The event, attended by senior government officials, business leaders, philanthropists, development finance institutions, impact investors, and other partners, will focus on mobilising funds for sustainable forest management, landscape restoration, biodiversity conservation, and forest-based development.

Covering 16% of the world's forest area, Africa's forests support the livelihoods of over 400 million people and contribute to a growing economy based on timber, non-timber forest products, nature-based tourism, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and climate-smart agriculture. However, the continent loses nearly four million hectares of forest annually, and current investment in sustainable forest management is insufficient.

The Lagos meeting aims to address this gap by promoting long-term and catalytic investment, bringing together governments, private investors, philanthropic organisations, and development finance institutions. A key focus will be the proposed African Forestry Trust Fund, a flagship financing mechanism under the Sustainable Forest Management Champions for Africa Initiative.

The fund, supported by the African Union Commission and other partners, aims to mobilise capital for sustainable forest management, landscape restoration, biodiversity conservation, and forest-based enterprises while fostering green jobs and strengthening African ownership of forestry financing.

The roundtable seeks to identify investment opportunities and develop a pipeline of forest projects to attract financing. By uniting governments, businesses, philanthropists, and development finance institutions, the organisers hope to unlock more investment in Africa's forest economy, turning forest resources into sustainable economic, environmental, and social benefits.