First Bank of Nigeria Limited has fulfilled its three-year commitment by planting 50,000 trees across Nigeria, reflecting a deepened focus on environmental sustainability.
The tree-planting drive, launched in 2023 in partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), was a key pillar of the bank's ESG agenda, aligning with national and global climate goals.
A Tree-Planting Milestone for Nigeria's Banking Sector
First Bank has achieved the planting of 50,000 trees in three years, completing the target set in 2023.
The milestone underscores the financial institution's strategic shift toward environmental stewardship and embeds reforestation into its corporate responsibility.
The tree-planting initiative at the Lekki Conservation Centre in Lagos marked the culmination of the programme, which saw 1,000 trees planted in 2023, about 30,000 in 2024, and 20,000 in 2025.
Why This Matters for Sustainability and Corporate Leadership
The campaign aligns with Nigeria's Green Recovery Plan and supports the Paris Agreement's objectives, illustrating how a banking institution can move beyond financing to ecosystem restoration.
It signals a broader trend, that is, large financial players recognising that long-term economic stability depends on a healthy environment, reinforcing links between biodiversity, climate resilience and finance.
Who Leads and What Strategic Moves?
| Stakeholder | Role and Commitment | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|
| First Bank | Lead and fund the tree-planting campaign | Nationwide planting, ESG integration |
| Nigerian Conservation Foundation | Partner with technical expertise and local engagement | Biodiversity, conservation practices |
| Bank clients & communities | Participate through volunteering and local deployment | Ownership, community benefit |
The decision rests on institutional leadership to integrate such environmental initiatives into broader business strategy and ensure accountability in follow-through.
Steps Taken and Next Moves on the Ground
Concrete actions include identified planting sites, volunteer engagement, partnerships with NGOs, and embedding the initiative into the bank's annual Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability (CR&S) Week.
The drive complements the bank's published sustainability report, which notes the planting of 1,000 trees in 2023 and commits to further scale-up as part of the bank's carbon-removal efforts.
Path Forward – Charting Sustainable Growth Through Reforestation
- Scale and sustain – Move from one-off planting to long-term forest-maintenance, monitoring and native species restoration.
- Embed metrics and disclosure – Report CO₂ removal and biodiversity enhancements, linking tree-planting outcomes to financial and climate-risk frameworks.
- Expand stakeholder engagement – Ensure local communities, youth and wider partner networks play continuous roles, enhancing resilience and ownership.
By anchoring tree-planting in its ESG architecture, First Bank elevates environmental action from a symbolic gesture to a strategic asset.
This demonstrates that commercial institutions in Africa can shape sustainable trajectories from the ground up.
Culled From: https://guardian.ng/business-services/firstbank-plants-50000-trees-in-three-years/
