Abstract
This study examines the effects of population growth on deforestation in Nigeria between 1991 and 2016. Anthropogenic factors especially population growth were identified to be the major forces responsible for deforestation in Nigeria. The Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test was used to establish stationarity among the variables and the Johansen cointegration test was used to establish a long run relationship between population growth and deforestation in Nigeria. Population growth was found to have a negative effect on the available forest cover in Nigeria. The study therefore recommends the development of rural areas, enactment of policies aimed at reducing population growth and sensitization to protect the available forest resources in Nigeria.
 Keywords: forests, deforestation, population growth
Highlights
Forests form an important part of any country due to their ecological and economic roles. Ogundele, et al (2016) mention that Nigeria is naturally endowed with a vast expanse of forest land, with swamp forests in the extreme Southern part of the country, the tropical rainforest in the South – Western part and the wooded savannah in the middle belt. Mfon, et al (2014) mention that Nigerians have always depended on the forest for their survival, economic development as well as their environmental sustenance
Forest resources are often used as sources of fuel which is used for cooking, food as various animals and herbal products are found in forests
Forests are usually located in rural areas and as such rural dwellers often depend on forest resources for their survival
Summary
Forests form an important part of any country due to their ecological and economic roles. Ogundele, et al (2016) mention that Nigeria is naturally endowed with a vast expanse of forest land, with swamp forests in the extreme Southern part of the country, the tropical rainforest in the South – Western part and the wooded savannah in the middle belt. Mfon, et al (2014) mention that Nigerians have always depended on the forest for their survival, economic development as well as their environmental sustenance. According to Anyanwu, et al (2013), large scale deforestation occurs in Anambra state of Nigeria as a result of ignorance of intrinsic value, inadequate environmental laws, poor forest management as well as agricultural practices. They further added poverty as a major cause for deforestation in major African countries. Otum, et al (2017) state that most of the activities that can lead to deforestation are human initiated and are for economic purposes They add that forest exploitations are done on two levels: firstly, by local people for the survival and livelihood and secondly, a more commercial level which involves commercial logging, land conversion for agricultural purposes etc. This may even lead to a reliance on imports leading to balance of payment problems and exchange rate difficulties.\
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