Nigeria will begin using satellite imagery and advanced digital monitoring systems to track agricultural production and ensure that farmers and exporters comply with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), government officials announced on Wednesday.
The move comes as the EU prepares to fully enforce the regulation, which bans the importation of commodities linked to deforestation after December 30, 2025. Key Nigerian exports — including cocoa, rubber, palm oil, cashew, coffee and timber — fall directly under the new rules, raising concerns over market access for thousands of farmers and agribusinesses.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting in Abuja, Minister of Environment Balarabe Lawal said Nigeria has “no intention of being left behind” as global markets transition toward stricter environmental standards.
“We are deploying satellite mapping, geolocation tracking and centralised reporting tools to ensure transparency in our agricultural supply chains,” the minister said. “The EU regulations are strict, but Nigeria will meet them. We will not allow our farmers to lose access to a multibillion-dollar market.”
The government’s plan includes a national geospatial database that logs farmland boundaries, confirms deforestation-free zones, and verifies that agricultural expansion has not encroached into protected forest areas.
Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Adeola Adegoke, who participated in the meeting, welcomed the initiative but urged the government to provide support for smallholder farmers.
“Satellite imagery is good, but we must pair it with training and field support,” Adegoke said. “Most of our cocoa farmers work on two to five hectares. They will need help to become fully compliant — otherwise only big exporters will survive.”
A representative of the National Palm Oil Growers Union, Musa Abubakar, said farmers are ready to comply but worry about the cost of digital mapping and certification.
“We want to meet international standards, but it must be affordable,” he said. “If the government can subsidise the mapping process, it will protect jobs and stop small farmers from being pushed out of global trade.”
Officials from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that the government is working on a “verification support fund” to reduce compliance costs and help farmers register on the national traceability platform.
The EU Deforestation Regulation, adopted in 2023, requires exporting countries to prove that agricultural goods entering the EU were not produced on land tied to deforestation. Companies must submit geolocation coordinates for all farms supplying their products — a requirement that has challenged many developing countries.
Nigeria’s new system aims to close those gaps. According to the Ministry of Environment, the satellite-based platform will feature automated alerts to detect illegal land clearing, enabling faster enforcement and penalties.
Environmental groups have applauded the government’s investment, noting that Nigeria loses an estimated 350,000–400,000 hectares of forest annually, one of the highest deforestation rates in the world.
With the EU market at stake — valued at more than €3 billion annually for Nigerian agricultural exports — officials say the country has no choice but to adapt.
“This is about protecting our forests and protecting our farmers,” Minister Lawal said. “Compliance is not optional. It is the future of international trade.”
The new monitoring system is expected to go live before the EU’s full enforcement deadline, with pilot testing already underway in cocoa-producing states.
