Polaris Bank, NCF Expand Tree-Planting Drive to Lagos, Ogun, and Kaduna to Boost Environmental Restoration

 

Polaris Bank, in partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), has taken its tree-planting project to three key states: Lagos, Ogun, and Kaduna. These efforts are part of a broader campaign first launched in 2024 during World Environment Day, aimed at promoting environmental sustainability, combating climate change, reducing carbon emissions, and restoring degraded lands.

In Lagos State, the tree-planting event was held at the Lekki Conservation Centre. Executives from Polaris, including Chris Ofikulu (Executive Director, Commercial & Retail) and Sharafadeen Muhammad (Executive Director, Operations), joined NCF representatives to lead the exercise. Ofikulu thanked all participants and reiterated the bank’s commitment to sustainability, noting that the initiative underscores how seriously Polaris takes its environmental responsibilities. He also recalled that the bank’s first planting event under the scheme was at Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ogun State, in 2024.

In Ogun State, the planting was at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB). Yetunde Okeleye, Divisional Head for Polaris Bank in Ogun/Oyo, emphasised that this planting isn’t just a symbolic gesture. She explained that planting economic trees is a deliberate strategy to help restore damaged land, prevent soil erosion, and fight the effects of climate change. She also noted that sustainability and environmental stewardship are part of the bank’s ethos—embedded into how it does business rather than something tacked on as a public relations exercise.

In Kaduna, the event took place at Sardauna Memorial College. Kabir Lawal, Polaris Bank’s Acting Group Head for the North West, together with local staff, emphasized that environmental sustainability is part of the bank’s culture. He said the exercise reflects a genuine journey, guided by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. He stressed that tree-planting has multiple benefits beyond aesthetics: restoring degraded areas, improving local environmental health, controlling erosion, providing shade, and generally improving community welfare.

Polaris aims to plant a significant number of trees under this initiative, with a stated goal of 10,000 trees across all their planting sites. Many of the selected tree species are both shade-giving and fruit-bearing, so they deliver both environmental and socio-economic benefits. The bank sees these outcomes as critical, especially in rural and semi-urban areas where environmental degradation has tangible negative effects on agriculture, soil fertility, and livelihoods.

The expansion of the campaign to multiple states also reinforces Polaris Bank’s role as more than just a financial institution—it seeks to show leadership in community development and environmental responsibility. Executives say that addressing climate change and environmental degradation is not optional but essential, and that businesses must play their part.

NCF has commended Polaris Bank for its continued investment in land restoration, climate resilience, and environmental awareness. The Foundation also highlighted that public participation—students, local community members, school staff—is a key part of making the exercise effective. By involving the community, the organisers believe, awareness is raised, and people begin to see environmental protection as something everyone shares, not something imposed from outside.

There are also strategic alignments with global environmental agendas. Polaris and NCF point out that the initiative dovetails with the United Nations Decade of Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030). The timing of the events also echoes themes promoted globally, such as land restoration, desertification resilience, drought resistance, and climate action. These alignments help bolster the credibility of the initiative and its chances of gaining broader support or partnerships.

Beyond planting trees, the project is intended to create lasting environmental value. This includes restoring degraded terrains, preventing soil erosion, increasing tree cover, and helping to reduce carbon footprints. In the long run, these kinds of interventions can help mitigate flooding (by improving soil absorption), stabilize temperatures, improve air quality, and generally enhance ecosystem health—all of which contribute to public health and community welfare.

However, while the outcomes and intentions are positive, there are challenges. For tree-planting efforts to succeed in the long term, maintenance matters just as much as planting. Ensuring young trees survive, are tended to, and are not damaged by urban encroachment, pests, or lack of irrigation is critical. Further, scaling up such initiatives requires coordination with local authorities, provision of water, soil preparation, and sometimes even security for these sites. The cost and logistics of these supporting factors can be demanding.

Nonetheless, Polaris Bank appears determined to stay the course. Its leaders describe this initiative as part of its sustainable business model, rather than something temporary. The bank sees environmental stewardship and corporate social responsibility as interlinked with its reputation, its relationship with communities, and its long-term viability. It’s also a statement that businesses can contribute meaningfully to climate goals, even in countries where funding, infrastructure, and sometimes political will can be uneven.

The latest extension to Lagos, Ogun, and Kaduna signals that the campaign is gaining momentum. With each location added, the bank, together with the NCF and community participants, reinforces the message that environmental sustainability must be locally anchored. For many, the visible planting of trees in schools, universities, conservation centres, and public areas helps bring the idea of a greener future into everyday experience.

In sum, Polaris Bank’s expanded tree-planting push with NCF stands as more than an environmental gesture. It is a commitment to restoring ecosystems, boosting community resilience, and showing that private sector actors have a role in the climate conversation. If well maintained and properly supported, this initiative may help Nigeria address some of its environmental challenges, while also showing that sustainable business and community welfare can go hand in hand.