Tree Planting in Nigeria: Species, Zones and a Large Market
Nigeria's plantation forestry is built mainly on gmelina (Gmelina arborea) and teak (Tectona grandis) rather than the eucalyptus and pine that dominate East Africa.
Zone decides species. The humid south suits gmelina and indigenous hardwoods; the transitional middle belt suits teak; the drier north needs genuinely drought-tolerant species.
The commercial story here is demand: a very large domestic timber market against a plantation base that has not kept pace.
Growing Zones
Nigerian conditions vary enormously with altitude and rainfall, and species choice follows from that more than from preference.
| Zone | Character | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Humid rainforest south | Ondo, Edo, Cross River, Delta. High rainfall, warm | Gmelina arborea, indigenous hardwoods, Terminalia |
| Transitional / middle belt | Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Nasarawa. Pronounced dry season | Teak, gmelina, cashew |
| Guinea savanna | Kaduna, Plateau, Taraba. Drier, seasonal | Teak on suitable soils, E. camaldulensis, neem |
| Sudan and Sahel savanna | Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Borno. Low, erratic rainfall | Neem, Acacia senegal, drought-tolerant indigenous |
| Highland pockets | Jos plateau, Mambilla. Cooler, higher | Eucalyptus, some pine potential |
Species That Work
| Species | Where | For |
|---|---|---|
| Gmelina arborea | Humid south and transitional | Fast-growing utility timber, poles, pulpwood |
| Teak (Tectona grandis) | Transitional belt with a real dry season | Premium timber; needs deep, free-draining, non-acidic soil |
| Eucalyptus camaldulensis | Drier north | Fuelwood, poles, windbreaks |
| Azadirachta indica (neem) | North | Fuelwood, shade, drought tolerance |
| Terminalia superba / ivorensis | Humid south | Indigenous timber, longer rotation |
| Acacia senegal | Sahel | Gum arabic, soil stabilisation |
What Makes Nigeria Different
- Gmelina is the workhorse, not eucalyptus. Anyone arriving with East African assumptions should recalibrate — Gmelina arborea has been the backbone of Nigerian plantation forestry, particularly for pulpwood and utility timber.
- Teak has a defined belt. It needs the pronounced dry season of the transitional zone plus deep, free-draining, non-acidic soil. Outside that combination it fails slowly.
- Demand substantially exceeds domestic plantation supply, which is the fundamental commercial opportunity and also the pressure driving depletion of natural forest.
- State-level variation matters. Forestry is administered at state as well as federal level, so rules, permits and support programmes differ considerably by state.
- Rainfall ranges from very high in the south-east to genuinely arid in the far north. No single national species recommendation is meaningful.
We advise across East and Central Africa. Tell us where the land is.
The Market
- Construction and furniture timber — a very large domestic market with sustained demand.
- Poles — electrification and building.
- Pulp and panel — gmelina's traditional industrial role.
- Teak for export and premium domestic — a different price bracket entirely, for well-grown pruned stems.
- Fuelwood and charcoal — very large, particularly in the north.
Before You Plant: Check Locally
Confirm these with the Federal Department of Forestry and your state forestry department
- Whether your planting needs any permit or registration, and whether the species is restricted.
- Setbacks from watercourses, wetlands and lakeshores. Several countries in the region restrict or prohibit eucalyptus near water, and the rules have changed more than once.
- Harvesting and timber movement documentation — usually required for commercial volumes.
- Whether an environmental assessment is triggered at your scale.
- Land tenure, resolved in writing before planting. Trees are visible, immovable and take years; disputes surface when the crop becomes valuable.
We are a Ugandan consultancy with regional experience, not a nigerian regulator. Treat this page as an orientation to species, spacing and markets, and confirm regulatory detail nationally before committing money.
Run Your Own Numbers
The arithmetic of spacing, volume and yield is identical everywhere — only the species choice and the market change. Our free calculators work in metric or imperial for any country:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best tree to plant in Nigeria for profit?
In the humid south and transitional zones, Gmelina arborea is the established fast-growing commercial choice for utility timber and poles.
In the transitional belt with a pronounced dry season and deep, free-draining, non-acidic soil, teak is the high-value option. In the north, drought-tolerant species such as neem and Acacia senegal are the realistic choices.
Does teak grow well in Nigeria?
Yes, in the transitional middle belt where there is a genuine dry season, provided the soil is deep, free-draining and not acidic.
Teak is unforgiving about soil. Dig pits before committing — acidic, shallow or waterlogged ground produces a slow twenty-year failure regardless of how good the price list looks.
Why is gmelina so widely planted in Nigeria?
It grows very fast in the humid and transitional zones, tolerates a range of sites, and supplies both the utility timber and the pulp and panel markets.
It has been the backbone of Nigerian plantation forestry for decades, which also means a mature knowledge base and available planting stock.
How many trees per acre should I plant in Nigeria?
The arithmetic is universal: about 647 per acre at 2.5m × 2.5m, 450 at 3m × 3m, 337 at 3m × 4m for wider sawlog regimes.
Gmelina and teak for timber generally go wider than eucalyptus poles — and teak in particular needs pruning to produce clear, valuable stems.
Do I need permission to plant trees in Nigeria?
Forestry is administered at both federal and state level, and requirements differ considerably by state — for planting, for harvesting and for moving timber.
Confirm with your state forestry department before committing, particularly on harvesting and transport documentation.
Planning a Plantation in Nigeria?
Zone and soil decide species here more than preference does. Tell us where the land is and we will tell you what it will carry.
Over a decade establishing, measuring and managing eucalyptus, pine and indigenous plantations across Uganda. Based in Wakiso, Kampala. Reviewed and updated September 6, 2026.
Forestry elsewhere in Africa
Species, spacing and rotation change with altitude, rainfall and market. Same method, different answers.