In a decisive step to halt illegal logging and protect its forests, the Government of Kano State in Nigeria, has announced a statewide ban on unauthorized chainsaw operations and launched the Chainsaw Usage Permit Framework (CUPF).

The policy, unveiled by Environment and Climate Change Commissioner Dr. Dahiru Muhammad Hashim at a press briefing, aims to regulate forestry activities and promote sustainability amid rising environmental threats. Hashim emphasized the ban's urgency, stating, “This action is necessary to protect our environment from indiscriminate deforestation, safeguard community livelihoods, and ensure the sustainability of our natural resources.”

Grounded in Section 20 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, the NESREA Act of 2007, and National Environmental Regulations of 2014, the measure also supports Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) under global climate pledges. The commissioner addressed press, civil society, traditional leaders, and local officials, urging collective enforcement to prevent further degradation in a state where tree felling has strained ecosystems and livelihoods.

“We urge all chainsaw operators, institutions, businesses, and individuals to comply fully... Let us leave a greener Kano for the next generation.” - Hashim

Under CUPF, operators must obtain licenses: CUPF-A for commercial chainsaw use, renewable annually with ministry-marked equipment; and CUPF-B for any tree trimming or felling in public or private areas, requiring pre-inspection by forestry officers. A digital registry with QR-coded permits enables real-time verification, while fees fund reforestation and climate programs.

Enforcement involves security agencies, traditional rulers, and community monitors, with Hashim calling on schools, religious leaders, and local chairmen to halt unauthorized cuts and protect reserves. Penalties are severe to deter violations: ₦500,000 fines, equipment confiscation, and possible jail for unlicensed chainsaw operation; and ₦250,000 per tree felled without permit, plus mandatory replanting—two or three trees per one cut.

“We are no longer tolerating the indiscriminate felling of trees,” Hashim declared, highlighting how unchecked logging exacerbates desertification and climate vulnerability in northern Nigeria.