ERNSTEN CARBON Nature-based carbon projects

Ernsten Carbon Company Limited  ·  Abuja, Nigeria

Nigeria's forests,
as verified carbon.

Ernsten Carbon is developing a corridor of nature-based carbon projects (REDD+, afforestation and cocoa agroforestry) with state governments and host communities across 8 Nigerian states.

Under assessment
2,400,000 ha
States
8
Crediting period
25 yrs
01

How a project is built

A carbon credit is only worth what can be measured, verified and defended. Each project in the corridor moves through the same four stages.

1.1

Site assessment and baselines

Forest cover, deforestation pressure and carbon stock are measured before anything is promised, so that every figure we later publish can be traced back to evidence on the ground.

1.2

Community partnership first

Projects proceed on free, prior and informed consent, with benefit-sharing agreed at community level. Credits that host communities do not support do not hold their value.

1.3

Registration to recognised standards

Projects are being prepared for registration under Verra VCS and Gold Standard, with a route to host-country authorisation under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement.

1.4

Monitoring, reporting and verification

Independent verification over the full crediting period, with satellite and field monitoring designed in from the start rather than added for audit.

02

The forest carbon corridor

Nature-based projects under assessment across 8 Nigerian states, spanning lowland rainforest, savanna transition, cocoa agroforestry, floodplain and Afromontane cloud forest.

2,400,000 hectares under assessment
Indicative annual
4.5M tCO₂e
Over 25 years
112.5M tCO₂e
At $35/ITMO
$3.9B
  1. 01

    Kogi

    Mount Patti forest edge, Lokoja

    Confluence corridor under active encroachment pressure, where avoided-deforestation baselines are most clearly evidenced.

    300,000 ha REDD+ Anchor state
  2. 02

    Benue

    Agatu floodplain forest

    Seasonally inundated forest and community fisheries, structured on a full FPIC model with benefit-sharing at community level.

    300,000 ha REDD+ · Blue Carbon Anchor state
  3. 03

    Kwara

    Old Owu forest reserve

    Savanna-to-forest transition zone bordering the Kogi corridor, suited to afforestation and assisted natural regeneration.

    300,000 ha ARR Anchor state
  4. 04

    Nasarawa

    Doma / Uggah forest reserve

    Two hours from Abuja, placing verification teams, regulators and prospective buyers within a single day of the project site.

    300,000 ha REDD+ Proximity to federal capital
  5. 05

    Osun

    Cocoa belt, Ife–Ilesa axis

    Shade-grown cocoa systems that pair carbon removal with a traceable agricultural supply chain and smallholder income.

    300,000 ha Agroforestry ARR Supply-chain co-benefit
  6. 06

    Ondo

    Oluwa Forest Reserve

    The highest standing carbon stock in south-western Nigeria, with intact primate habitat supporting a biodiversity uplift.

    300,000 ha REDD+ Highest carbon density
  7. 07

    Cross River

    Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary

    Habitat of the Cross River gorilla, one of the most endangered primates on earth — the biodiversity case buyers pay a premium for.

    300,000 ha REDD+ Premium biodiversity
  8. 08

    Taraba

    Ngel Nyaki montane forest

    Afromontane cloud forest on the Mambilla Plateau at 1,400 metres — among the rarest forest types remaining in West Africa.

    300,000 ha Montane REDD+ Rarest forest type

Hectarage reflects areas under assessment. Tonnage and value figures are indicative estimates for discussion purposes only, based on a $35/ITMO reference price. They are not projections of realised revenue and do not constitute an offer, investment advice, or a representation of guaranteed outcome.

03

From voluntary credit to sovereign instrument

The same tonne of carbon is worth materially more once the host government has authorised its transfer and adjusted its own national inventory to match. The corridor is being prepared with that authorisation in view.

Verified Carbon Unit VCU

1 tCO₂e

Voluntary market

≈ $20

Authorisation steps
  1. Host-country approval from the National Council on Climate Change
  2. Corresponding adjustment applied to Nigeria’s national inventory
  3. Authorisation under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement
Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcome ITMO

1 tCO₂e

Compliance buyers — Switzerland, Singapore, CORSIA

$35 – $60

Reference prices are indicative market ranges, not quotes or projections.

04

Who we work with

  • State governments

    Concession and partnership agreements for forest reserves and degraded land.

  • Host communities

    Consent, livelihoods and a defined share of project revenue.

  • Credit buyers

    Corporate and compliance buyers seeking verified, authorised Nigerian credits.

  • Investors and DFIs

    Project finance for the development, monitoring and verification phases.

Start a conversation

Buying, financing or hosting a project? We would like to hear from you.