Reported by: Ijeoma .G | Edited by: Henry Owen
The Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sign the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill 2025 into law, describing it as a critical legal instrument needed to strengthen wildlife protection and curb illegal trafficking of endangered species across Nigeria.
The appeal was contained in a statement issued on Friday, May 22, 2026, to mark World Biodiversity Day, which is observed globally on May 22 each year to promote awareness on the protection of biological diversity and sustainable environmental management.
The statement was signed by the Director-General of the Nigeria Conservation Foundation, Dr. Joseph Onoja, who warned that Nigeria’s current legal framework remains insufficient to address the rising scale of wildlife crime, habitat destruction, and cross-border trafficking of endangered species.
Dr. Onoja said the bill, which has already been passed by both chambers of the National Assembly—the Senate led by President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio and the House of Representatives led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas—would significantly improve enforcement capacity and strengthen penalties for offenders involved in illegal wildlife trade.
According to the NCF, the legislation is also expected to empower key enforcement agencies including the National Park Service, led by its Conservator-General Ibrahim Goni, the Nigeria Customs Service under Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) headed by Prof. Innocent Barikor.
The foundation stressed that coordinated enforcement among these agencies is necessary to combat sophisticated wildlife trafficking networks operating across Nigeria’s borders, particularly involving endangered species such as pangolins, elephants, and various primate species.
World Biodiversity Day 2026, marked on May 22, was also used by conservation groups to highlight Nigeria’s ongoing environmental challenges, including deforestation in the Cross River rainforest region, illegal logging activities, and increasing pressure on protected ecosystems.
Environmental stakeholders noted that Nigeria remains both a source and transit route for illegal wildlife products destined for international markets, despite its commitments under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory.
The NCF statement further referenced ongoing collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment, led by Minister Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who has repeatedly called for stronger environmental compliance and improved funding for conservation programs nationwide.
According to the foundation, the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill 2025 is designed to replace the existing Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) Act, which conservation experts have long criticized as outdated and weak in enforcement capacity.
The bill reportedly introduces stricter penalties, improved monitoring systems, and enhanced inter-agency coordination to ensure more effective prosecution of wildlife crimes across federal and state levels.
Dr. Onoja also emphasized the role of local communities in conservation efforts, noting that communities in Cross River, Taraba, and Ogun States have been increasingly involved in forest protection initiatives supported by environmental NGOs and international partners.
He added that without urgent presidential assent from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria risks falling behind regional and global standards in biodiversity protection and environmental governance.
The statement also referenced support from international conservation partners, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which have consistently urged African governments to strengthen domestic wildlife protection laws.
Nigeria’s biodiversity includes critical ecosystems such as the Guinea Forest region, the Sahel savannah belt, and coastal wetlands, which are home to several endangered species facing increasing threats from human activity and climate change impacts.
The NCF warned that illegal wildlife trade remains one of the most lucrative environmental crimes globally, often linked to organized criminal networks exploiting weak enforcement systems and porous borders across West and Central Africa.
As of Friday, May 23, 2026, there was no official response from President Tinubu or the Presidency regarding the appeal for assent, while environmental groups continued to call for swift action on the bill.
The organisation reiterated its commitment to working with government institutions, including the Federal Ministry of Environment, the National Assembly, and enforcement agencies, to ensure effective implementation of conservation policies once the bill becomes law.
The appeal concluded with a call for urgent political will to protect Nigeria’s natural heritage, preserve endangered species, and secure ecological balance for future generations.
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