Kwankwaso makes surprise appearance at Aso Rock

Presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was spotted on Monday at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, attending the 2025 Nigeria Forest Economy Summit.

The event, organized by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI), brought together key stakeholders to discuss sustainable forest management and economic diversification.

Kwankwaso, a prominent opposition figure, neither addressed the gathering nor spoke to the media during the summit. His presence, however, drew attention given the political dynamics ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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Speaking at the summit, the Vice President, who was represented by Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Hadejia, warned about the critical state of Nigeria’s forests and its economic implications if not tackled immediately.

This is as the Founder/CEO of Netzence sustainability limited (Netzence), Dr. Sadiq Sani, assured that his company is using technology to unlock the over two billion dollars potentials in the forest sector.

Speaking while declaring the summit open, Shettima said, “More than 90 percent of Nigeria’s original forest cover has been depleted, and over 400,000 hectares lost annually, saying the situation was not an environmental crisis, but “economic emergency.”

He stressed that the country is at a crossroads and that neglecting forest resources directly impoverishes the nation and its people.

“We cannot underestimate the importance of our forests. They are a treasure trove of biodiversity, timber, medicinal plants, and other valuable products that underpin agriculture, trade, health, climate resilience, and finance. Yet this vast potential remains largely untapped.

“Look at Vietnam, earning over $15 billion yearly from forest exports. Brazil’s Amazon contributes 15% of their GDP from forests alone. Ethiopia has generated 350,000 jobs through reforestation and value chains. Nigeria should not only replicate these successes but lead Africa’s forest industrialization,” he said.

(DailyTrust)