The Sahara Group has expanded its environmental sustainability agenda through a strategic partnership between its flagship Adopt-A-Forest Initiative and the Gelegele Forest Reserve in Edo State, Nigeria. The collaboration, which kicks off with the planting of 20,000 tree seedlings, is aimed at regenerating degraded areas of the reserve and reinforcing Sahara’s long-term commitment to nature-based climate action.

The project launch featured engagements with the Edo State Forestry Commission and the Gelegele Forest Reserve Board, underscoring Sahara Group’s collaborative approach to restoring ecosystems, safeguarding biodiversity, and promoting sustainable livelihoods within host communities.

Launched in 2023, the Adopt-A-Forest Initiative is one of Sahara Group’s foremost climate action programmes designed to restore degraded landscapes, conserve Africa’s natural carbon sinks, and strengthen resilience against climate change. By 2024, the initiative had successfully expanded across Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and Dubai, with further projects planned in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Kenya in 2025.

The Director, Governance and Sustainability, Sahara Group, Ejiro Gray, described the initiative as a key driver of Sahara’s vision for a greener and more sustainable future.

The Adopt-A-Forest Initiative is more than a tree-planting programme; it is aimed at driving the environmental sustainability of our natural carbon sinks. We recognise this God-given gift as vital to managing emissions, sequestering carbon, and ensuring that Africa’s lungs continue to sustain the planet.”

Also speaking at the launch, the Head of Business Support, Asharami Energy (a Sahara Group company), Babatomiwa Adesida, said the project reflects the Group’s integrated approach to sustainability.