https://en.sputniknews.africa/20250522/africas-forests-at-risk-in-new-scramble-for-resources-scholar-warns-1073362232.html
Africa’s Forests at Risk in New Scramble for Resources, Scholar Warns
Africa’s Forests at Risk in New Scramble for Resources, Scholar Warns
Sputnik Africa
Forests across Africa are vanishing at an alarming pace, driven not only by local needs but increasingly by foreign-backed projects. From logging and mining to... 22.05.2025, Sputnik Africa
2025-05-22T17:19+0200
2025-05-22T17:19+0200
2025-05-22T17:19+0200
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Africa’s Forests at Risk in New Scramble for Resources, Scholar Warns
Sputnik Africa
Forests across Africa are vanishing at an alarming pace, driven not only by local needs but increasingly by foreign-backed projects. From logging and mining to large-scale agriculture, deforestation is now tied to international demand, raising urgent questions about control, equity, and the future of Africa’s natural resources.
This crisis goes beyond the environment. At its heart are questions about control: who gets to decide what Africa’s land is used for, and who profits when the forests fall? With promises of infrastructure and investment, international actors have gained increasing influence over African land decisions, often prioritizing exports and raw material access over the needs of local communities.In a conversation with Global South Pole, Tajudeen Okekunle Amusa, a professor of Forest Resources Management at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, and a research fellow at the Federal University of Paraná in Curitiba, Brazil, reflected on this reality. He explained that deforestation in Africa had become deeply linked to global demand, especially for agricultural exports and critical minerals. According to him, these activities were no longer just local responses to poverty or population growth but part of a broader economic model that positioned African forests as sites of extraction for wealthier nations.He pointed out that foreign-backed projects, including large-scale farming, logging, mining, and infrastructure corridors, had accelerated forest loss across countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In numerous instances, these projects were promoted in the name of economic growth, but often resulted in the displacement of local populations and irreversible environmental damage.To listen to the whole conversation, tune in to the Global South Pole podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on Telegram.► You can also listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Castbox, Pocket Casts, Afripods, Podcast Addict, Overcast, and Mave Stream.► Check out all the episodes of Global South Pole.
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european union (eu), nigeria, africa, ghana, podcasts, united states (us), forest, deforestation, climate change, climate, democratic republic of the congo (drc), logging, mining, cameroon, apple, minerals, resources, carbon credits, african union (au), аудио
european union (eu), nigeria, africa, ghana, podcasts, united states (us), forest, deforestation, climate change, climate, democratic republic of the congo (drc), logging, mining, cameroon, apple, minerals, resources, carbon credits, african union (au), аудио
Africa’s Forests at Risk in New Scramble for Resources, Scholar Warns
Aliyu Bello
Correspondent, Podcast Host
Forests across Africa are vanishing at an alarming pace, driven not only by local needs but increasingly by foreign-backed projects. From logging and mining to large-scale agriculture, deforestation is now tied to international demand, raising urgent questions about control, equity, and the future of Africa’s natural resources.
This crisis goes beyond the environment. At its heart are questions about control: who gets to decide what Africa’s land is used for, and who profits when the forests fall? With promises of infrastructure and investment, international actors have gained increasing influence over African land decisions, often prioritizing exports and raw material access over the needs of local communities.
In a conversation with Global South Pole, Tajudeen Okekunle Amusa, a professor of Forest Resources Management at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria, and a research fellow at the Federal University of Paraná in Curitiba, Brazil, reflected on this reality. He explained that deforestation in Africa had become deeply linked to global demand, especially for agricultural exports and critical minerals. According to him, these activities were no longer just local responses to poverty or population growth but part of a broader economic model that positioned African forests as sites of extraction for wealthier nations.
He pointed out that foreign-backed projects, including large-scale farming, logging, mining, and infrastructure corridors, had accelerated forest loss across countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In numerous instances, these projects were promoted in the name of economic growth, but often resulted in the displacement of local populations and irreversible environmental damage.
“The global demand for agricultural products […] has incentivized large-scale land clearing in countries like Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon. […] The same thing applies to mining and the general extractive industry. The race to acquire critical minerals for developmental activities, all of which are fueling massive deforestation in Africa. And there are foreign companies, particularly from the European Union, [and] the US, that are heavily interested and have invested in all of this,” Prof. Amusa stressed.
To listen to the whole conversation, tune in to the Global South Pole podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.
In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on
Telegram.► Check out all the episodes of Global South Pole. 
