Yobe State University, Damaturu, is set to introduce a policy requiring every student to plant and nurture a tree before being cleared for graduation.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Bashir Tahir, disclosed this on Friday while flagging off the 2026 Tree Planting Initiative organised by the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Agriculture.
The initiative, held under the theme, “Greening Our Faculty for a Sustainable Future,” is aimed at promoting environmental responsibility and sustainability within the university community.
Tahir said the proposed policy would require students to plant at least one tree upon admission and take responsibility for its growth until the completion of their studies.
He explained that students might be required to present evidence of having planted and maintained their trees as part of the conditions for obtaining clearance to graduate.
According to him, trees play an important role in protecting the environment, particularly by reducing erosion and helping to control flooding through water absorption.
The vice-chancellor added that trees would provide shade, fruits and a healthier environment for learning, while also serving as practical learning resources for students studying biology, forestry, geography and related disciplines.
He further directed the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management to work with the Directorate of Works and Physical Planning to organise annual tree-planting competitions among faculties and departments.
Earlier, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture praised the students who initiated the programme, Mohammed Mallam Mohammed and Hauwa Ahmed Damagum, both 300-level students of the Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management.
The dean also commended the Programme Manager of the North East Arid Zone Development Programme, Dr Mulima Idi Mato, for providing nursery equipment and planting materials, as well as the Managing Director of Green City Garden, Ahmad Abba Disa, for supporting the initiative.