By Usman Aliyu
The Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently sign the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, 2025 into law.
The foundation in a statement issued on Saturday to celebrate the 2026 World Biodiversity Day, warned that Nigeria’s biodiversity was facing unprecedented threats.
In the statement, the Director-General of the foundation, Joseph Onoja said that the proposed Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, 2025, was imperative and critical to strengthening Nigeria’s legal framework against wildlife crimes.
According to him, the bill would provide stronger legal backing to prosecute offenders, regulate wildlife trade and deter exploitation of threatened species
He noted that biodiversity loss was capable of undermining food security, livelihoods, public health and ecological stability.
He urged governments, communities, businesses and citizens to move beyond global commitments, to practical local action aimed at protecting the country’s shrinking natural heritage.
According to him, Nigeria remains one of Africa’s most biologically diverse countries, with ecosystems ranging from savannas, montane forests and rainforests to freshwater swamps, floodplains and coastal and marine habitats.
He said these ecosystems supported nearly 8,000 plant species across 338 families and over 22,000 animal species, including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects.
Onoja said this ranked Nigeria among the world’s biodiversity-rich nations.
He, however, warned that the country’s ecological wealth was disappearing at an alarming pace due to widespread deforestation, climate change, habitat fragmentation, oil pollution, invasive species and unsustainable exploitation of wildlife.
The NCF boss noted that Nigeria had already lost more than 90 per cent of its original forest cover, placing the country among nations with the highest deforestation rates globally.
He also raised concerns over indiscriminate hunting, illegal wildlife trade and the growing role of informal markets and social media in promoting the exploitation of endangered species.
The director-general described biodiversity loss as an immediate crisis with severe implications for communities and national development.
“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 livelihood.
“World Biodiversity Day 2026 is a reminder that global targets are only achieved when local actors take responsibility.
“The Kunming–Montreal Framework gives us the roadmap. The NBSAP gives us the plan. What we need now is execution at the local level, where ecosystems are managed and communities live,” Onoja said.
He added that Nigeria’s revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) aligned with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and commited the country to halting biodiversity loss by 2030.
According to him, the strategy seeks to ensure the effective management of high-priority biodiversity areas and protect at least 30 per cent of land, inland waters and coastal and marine ecosystems through well-connected conservation networks.
He said the plan also addressed direct drivers of biodiversity loss, including pollution, unsustainable harvesting practices and invasive alien species, while promoting ecosystem restoration and sustainable resource management.
He explained that the strategy further prioritised biodiversity integration into agriculture, forestry, fisheries, budgeting and development planning, while encouraging stronger scientific research, public education, monitoring systems and financing for conservation efforts.
He emphasised that biodiversity conservation in Nigeria must be inclusive, evidence-based and adequately funded, warning that inadequate investment and weak implementation could worsen ecological degradation.
Onoja noted that although biodiversity-related research in Nigeria was increasing, national output remained significantly below global levels.
According to him, failure to integrate biodiversity protection with poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods may further complicate efforts to reverse ecosystem loss.
He revealed that over the next five years it would intensify conservation interventions for threatened species and vulnerable ecosystems by strengthening habitat protection, restoring degraded landscapes and improving biodiversity monitoring systems.
He said the interventions would be implemented through partnerships with communities, state governments, academia and the private sector.
He also pledged that the foundation would intensify efforts to combat illegal wildlife hunting and trafficking through stronger monitoring, public reporting, enforcement support and environmental education.
He urged the federal, state and local governments to fully fund and implement biodiversity commitments under the NBSAP and strengthen enforcement of existing environmental laws.
He also called on businesses to adopt biodiversity-positive practices and invest in nature-based solutions capable of delivering ecological and economic resilience.
The NCF boss further appealed to Nigerians to take greater responsibility for protecting the country’s natural heritage by supporting eco-tourism, embracing sustainable consumption and rejecting activities that encourage wildlife destruction.
He cautioned against celebrating or sharing social media content that promoted indiscriminate hunting, illegal wildlife trade and cruelty to animals.
According to him, such practices further endanger already threatened species.
(NAN)