NCF Urges Tinubu to Act on Nigeria’s Biodiversity Strategy

• Seeks signing of endangered species conservation bill

Bennett Oghifo

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently act on the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and to immediately sign the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection bill into law.

The NCF made the call on World Biodiversity Day 2026, saying Nigeria’s biodiversity faces mounting threats.

“On this World Biodiversity Day, NCF calls on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to immediately sign the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, 2025 into law as passed by the national assembly.

“This legislation is long overdue and will provide the legal backbone needed to prosecute wildlife crimes, regulate trade, and deter the exploitation of threatened species. We call on the government at all levels to fully fund and implement NBSAP targets and enforce existing wildlife protection laws without delay,” the Director General, NCF, Dr. Joseph Onoja, said.

According to the Foundation, the government, communities, businesses, and citizens should turn global commitments into local actions.

“Nigeria is one of Africa’s most biodiverse nations. Our savannahs, montane forests, rainforests, freshwater swamps, floodplains, and coastal and marine habitats support nearly 8,000 plant species across 338 families and over 22,000 animal species.

“These include insects, fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. In terms of overall biodiversity richness, Nigeria ranks 36th globally, with particularly high diversity in birds, mammals, and vascular plants.

“Yet this natural wealth is disappearing at an alarming rate. Nigeria has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world, with over 90 per cent of its original forest cover already lost. Habitat fragmentation, climate change, overexploitation, pollution from oil spills and gas flaring, and invasive alien species continue to drive species decline and ecosystem degradation.

“Illegal, indiscriminate and unsustainable wildlife hunting and exploitation, often facilitated through social media and informal markets, further undermine conservation gains,” the organisation stated.

Onoja added: “Biodiversity loss is not an abstract global problem. It is happening in our forests, wetlands, and communities, and it affects food security, water, health, and livelihoods. World Biodiversity Day 2026 is a reminder that global targets are only achieved when local actors take responsibility.”

He said Nigeria’s revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) aligns with the 23 global targets of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and commits the country to halting biodiversity loss by 2030 through effective management of high-priority areas and protecting at least 30 per cent of land, inland waters, and coastal and marine habitats in well-connected networks.

The plan, according to the NCF, tackles direct drivers of loss such as unsustainable harvesting, pollution, and invasive species, while prioritising ecosystem restoration, enhanced ecosystem services, and the mainstreaming of biodiversity values into development planning and budgeting across all sectors.

 NCF emphasised that action must be inclusive, evidence-based, and well-funded. While biodiversity research in Nigeria is increasing, it said it remains far below global output, stressing that without urgent investment and integration with poverty reduction strategies, the window to reverse loss will close.

Onoja said over the next five years, NCF will continue to prioritise conservation actions for key species and ecosystems most at risk, working with communities, state governments, academia, and the private sector.

This, he explained, includes strengthening the protection and management of priority habitats, combating illegal hunting and wildlife trade through enforcement, monitoring, and public reporting, education, awareness and restoring degraded landscapes through community-led initiatives.

“We will also build local capacity for biodiversity monitoring and ensure that data informs decision-making, while integrating biodiversity values into development planning at state and local levels.

“We appeal to Nigerian citizens to renew their sense of pride and responsibility for the natural heritage we have been blessed with. Value what is ours by exploring and using biodiversity sustainably, supporting eco-tourism, and choosing consumption patterns that do not drive species to extinction.

“Every citizen has a role in stopping the promotion of indiscriminate hunting of wildlife on social media and stop celebrating social media posts that glorify animal cruelty and illegal trade,” he added.