The African Forest Forum (AFF) and the Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Champions for Africa Initiative are to bring together business and philanthropic leaders in Lagos to discuss investment in Africa's forests.

The high-level roundtable is scheduled for 8 September 2026 and will bring together senior government officials, business executives, philanthropists, development finance institutions, impact investors and other strategic partners.

The meeting will focus on ways to mobilise investment for sustainable forest management, landscape restoration, biodiversity conservation and forest-based development.

Africa's forests cover about 637 million hectares, representing about 16% of the world's forest area. They support the livelihoods of more than 400 million people.

The forests also support a growing economy based on timber and non-timber forest products, nature-based tourism, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and climate-smart agriculture.

But the continent is losing nearly four million hectares of forest each year, while investment in sustainable forest management remains insufficient.

The organisers say more long-term and catalytic investment is needed, bringing together governments, private investors, philanthropic organisations and development finance institutions.

Focus on forestry fund

A key issue at the Lagos meeting will be the proposed African Forestry Trust Fund.

The fund is the flagship financing mechanism being established under the Sustainable Forest Management Champions for Africa Initiative.

With support from the African Union Commission and other strategic partners, the fund is intended to mobilise catalytic capital for sustainable forest management, landscape restoration and biodiversity conservation.

It will also support forest-based enterprises and green jobs while strengthening African ownership of forestry financing.

The meeting will seek to identify investment opportunities and develop a pipeline of forest projects that can attract financing.

The organisers also hope to strengthen partnerships that can turn Africa's forest resources into sustainable economic, environmental and social benefits.

The roundtable will be held as African countries face continued forest loss and limited investment in sustainable management.

The organisers say bringing governments, businesses, philanthropists and development finance institutions together could help unlock more investment in the continent's forest economy.