The National Bamboo Farmers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NBFPMAN) has projected that Nigeria could earn up to $22 billion annually if it fully develops its bamboo value chain.

During the World Bamboo Day commemoration in Abuja, the association’s national president, Mr Ukeme Nyah, highlighted bamboo as a “unique and invaluable asset” that can generate massive economic, environmental, and social benefits.

Nyah explained that the bamboo sector could create thousands of jobs and income opportunities for Nigerians through propagation, planting, harvesting, and utilisation. 

He stressed that developing the bamboo value chain would help diversify the economy, conserve foreign exchange, reduce import dependence, and promote environmental sustainability.

“A well-articulated and faithfully implemented national bamboo value chain development programme could rapidly transform the country’s economic landscape,” Nyah said.

He described bamboo as “green gold”, noting its versatility with over 10,000 documented uses ranging from construction materials, furniture, paper, fabrics, pulp, and toothpicks, to eco-friendly alternatives to plastics.

Nyah added that global markets are increasingly opening new opportunities for bamboo as a wood substitute and sustainable input material, making it a valuable contributor to local economies and international climate action.

“Bamboo provides eco-friendly materials, restores degraded lands, and supports local economies. Nigeria should vigorously explore the possibilities offered by modern bamboo utilisation as experienced by many countries worldwide,” he said.

The association, therefore, called on the federal government to implement a national bamboo value chain development programme for bamboo production and export.

Source: NAN