Nigerian bakeries fuelling deforestation and climate change, study says

A new study by researchers from the UK and Nigeria has shed light on a surprising contributor to deforestation and climate change in the country: bakeries.

Researchers from the University of York, Bayero University, Kano, and University College, London examined commercial bakeries located near forested areas in Kaduna, Nasarawa and Abuja. They aimed to understand the types of energy used for baking, the communities involved in the forest fuel trade, the historical and ongoing deforestation trends, and potential solutions for bakeries to shift towards cleaner energy sources.

They found bakers often collected their wood directly from the forest, or purchased it from local suppliers, or bigger wood retailers and wholesalers. The bakeries most commonly use African Birch wood, mainly due to its burning quality and easy availability, the study showed. Charcoal and other local hardwoods are often used to fuel baking too.

Using remote sensing data across the three study sites, they found declines in forest cover from 71 percent (56,157 km2) in 2000 to 49 percent (38,756 km2) in 2020.

The work was published in the journal Regional Environmental Change.

Lead author Abubakar Salisu said the work was timely as the popularity of bread in Nigeria is increasing, but baking methods remain very traditional, with many bakeries being unaware of the extent of deforestation linked to their practices.

“Most bread is baked in small scale, local and traditional ways. In fact, the process of baking bread in Nigeria has changed little over time,” he said. “It is still baked in large masonry ovens, also known as black or Roman ovens, heated by burning wood, which is removed before the dough is put in to bake.”

Professor Lindsay Stringer from the University of York, said, “While climate policy tries to reduce the impact of household energy use, the trends in energy use in small scale commercial premises are rarely considered.”

“There has been a push towards cleaner cooking stoves at a household level, but ovens used by micro, small and medium scale enterprises were being missed by the current policy, Professor Stringer explained.

She said: “This problem is getting worse despite three decades of policies discouraging biomass cooking in Africa. In fact, the use of local hardwoods and biomass fuels is actually increasing and with the United Nations predicting Nigeria’s population will continue to grow at a rapid pace, it is clear policymakers need to act urgently.”

Alternative sources and energy transition

The Nigerian economy is heavily reliant on oil and gas exports, but domestically, biomass is by far the largest energy type consumed – accounting for 76% of energy consumption.

This reliance on biomass and firewood is a driver of deforestation within Nigeria, contributing to a nationwide 12% loss in tree cover since 2000 according to Global Forest Watch 2023.

To address this complex issue, the study calls for immediate action, including raising awareness of alternative energy options, providing training for bakery staff, and implementing supportive policies to facilitate a smooth green energy transition.

The research team mapped out recommendations that support a clean energy transition.

Professor Rob Marchant, from the University of York, explained a transition to low carbon alternatives could have clear economic benefits too: “Research participants in our study sites indicated a willingness for their bakeries to shift to alternative, cleaner energy sources and technologies.”

Professor Marchant added: “But more needs to be done to raise awareness of alternative energy sources, to train people working in the industry on how to replace fuelwood and charcoal, how to use the new technologies that shift will bring. It is important too that policymakers consider the entire fuel wood supply industry from the forest to the fire, to support just and equitable transitions. There are multiple potential economic benefits from this transition, such as scaling production and associated efficiencies, so it makes sense to begin the process as soon as possible.