Nigeria finds itself at a decisive intersection of environmental urgency and public health promise. As we pursue economic growth and development, we must also pay attention to an invaluable yet often overlooked resource: our forest cover. Beyond their role in carbon sequestration, trees serve as living infrastructure for human health. In many respects, our forests are medicine. They are a prescription for cleaner air, cooler cities, improved well-being and reduced healthcare burdens.
Cleaner air, healthier lungs
Air pollution continues to pose a silent but significant threat to Nigeria’s health system. Urban centres like Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt frequently exceed safe levels of particulate matter. Amid this reality, afforestation and reforestation emerge as cost-effective public health interventions. Trees intercept airborne particles, absorb gaseous pollutants (such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide) and release oxygen; thereby improving air quality and reducing respiratory ailments. Globally, studies find that every 10 % increase in tree canopy cover can reduce asthma admissions by measurable margins.
For Nigeria, where respiratory illnesses impose both human and economic costs, expanding tree cover offers a dual dividend. It complements our healthcare response and strengthens resilience against emerging threats such as urban heat and epidemics. By planting and maintaining trees in urban and peri-urban areas, we are not just greening the landscape; we are protecting lungs and preserving lives.
Lower temperatures, fewer heat-related illnesses
Climate change is already reshaping Nigeria’s risk profile. Rising temperatures increase incidents of heat stress, dehydration and exacerbation of chronic illnesses. Here again, trees deliver; through shade and evapotranspiration, they reduce surface and ambient temperatures, moderate microclimates and create more habitable outdoor spaces. Research shows that street tree shading and neighbourhood green‐space cooling can lower local temperatures by 2–4°C on a hot day.
This cooling effect is particularly meaningful in densely populated or low-income urban districts, where buildings and pavements amplify heat, and residents often lack access to air conditioning. In such settings, tree-driven cooling becomes a climate-adaptation strategy and a public-health intervention. The health gain is tangible: reduced heat stress, fewer cardiovascular crises, and better overall comfort, which in turn elevates productivity and well-being.
Mental health, well-being and community resilience
Health is more than the absence of disease; it includes mental wellness, social cohesion and a sense of place. Numerous studies link exposure to green spaces with lower stress, reduced depression and improved cognitive functioning. In a country grappling with rapid urbanisation, social isolation and youth unemployment, carefully designed reforestation and urban greening programmes offer more than trees: they offer hope, engagement and community renewal.
For instance, tree-planting initiatives provide young people with purpose and connection by connecting environmental restoration with job creation, skill development and social inclusion. Participation strengthens community bonds, builds local ownership of green infrastructure and fosters a culture of environmental stewardship. In effect, trees become a conduit for both individual and collective health.
Economic logic: The healthcare savings of green infrastructure
From an ESG (environmental, social and governance) perspective, the health benefits of reforestation translate into cost savings and value creation. Fewer respiratory or heat-related illnesses mean reduced hospital admissions, lower medical costs and less lost productivity. That in turn improves corporate and national competitiveness.
For private-sector actors and institutional investors, the message is clear: green assets yield tangible social returns. A well-designed tree-planting programme in partnership with communities can deliver measurable metrics with tonnes of carbon removed, ambient temperature reductions, hospital visits averted, and all of these align with ESG goals and corporate social responsibility strategies. In Nigeria’s transition to a lower-carbon, higher-value economy, the health–environment nexus becomes a strategic differentiator.
A call for intentional design and governance
Yet, planting trees is not enough. The health gains depend on intentional design, species selection, maintenance, community integration and long-term governance. Nigeria’s diverse ecosystems demand context-specific approaches: what works in the Niger Delta differs from Nigeria’s savannah regions. Equally, urban greening must consider pedestrian pathways, traffic emissions, resident behaviour and municipal services.
Public-private partnerships offer one way forward. Government agencies, corporate actors, NGOs and local communities must align around shared metrics and governance frameworks. Robust monitoring is essential: measuring air-quality improvements, temperature changes, health-outcome shifts, and socio-economic impacts. Only then can we move from tree-planting as philanthropy to tree-planting as strategic health infrastructure.
Why Nigeria cannot afford to wait
The urgency of action cannot be overstated. Nigeria’s population continues to grow, urbanise and age, and these trends multiply health risks. Climate change intensifies air-pollution episodes, heatwaves and vector-borne diseases. In this landscape, trees are a low-regret, high-impact investment. They bolster human capital as much as they restore ecosystems.
Critically, reforesting is not only an environmental imperative but also a public-health opportunity. Imagine the ripple effect: cleaner lungs, cooler homes, fewer sick days, stronger communities and a more resilient Nigeria.
A green prescription for a healthier Nigeria
In sum, trees can and should be framed as medicine. They heal in subtle but profound ways. Cleaner air, reduced heat, improved mental health, greater social cohesion, cost savings and ESG alignment all flow from green infrastructure that is well conceived and well governed.
As Nigeria charts its future, the question is not merely, “How many trees will we plant?” but “How will we plant them so that they deliver health, wealth and well-being for all?” The answer lies in disciplined design, collaborative governance and long-term stewardship. From grassroots communities to boardrooms, from policy corridors to podcast studios, the message is consistent: let’s plant health, one tree at a time.
Sarah Esangbedo Ajose-Adeogun is the Founder and Managing Partner at Teasoo Consulting Limited, a foremost ESG consulting firm. She is a former Community Content Manager at Shell Petroleum Development Company and served as the Special Adviser on Strategy, Policy, Projects, and Performance Management to the Government of Edo State. She is also the host of the #SarahSpeaks podcast on YouTube @WinningBigWithSarah, where she shares insights on leadership, strategy, and sustainable growth.
