Nigeria Conservation Foundation

Nigeria Conservation Foundation
Name	Nigeria Conservation Foundation
Formation	1980
Type	Non-governmental organization
Headquarters	Lagos, Nigeria
Region served	Nigeria
Leader title	Chief Executive

Nigeria Conservation Foundation is a Nigerian non-governmental organization focused on biodiversity conservation, sustainable natural resource management, and environmental advocacy. Founded in 1980, it operates across ecosystems such as Niger Delta, Cross River National Park, Yankari National Park, and the Mabira Forest region, engaging with communities, industry, and international conservation bodies. The foundation works alongside institutions like the United Nations Environment Programme, World Wildlife Fund, and regional agencies to implement species protection, habitat restoration, and policy influence.

History

The foundation was established in 1980 amid growing concern for deforestation in the Afromontane and mangrove loss in the Niger Delta, with early partners that included the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and Nigerian state agencies such as the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources. Founders drew inspiration from international initiatives like the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and engaged with conservation science from institutions including the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Smithsonian Institution, and Natural History Museum, London. Over decades the foundation expanded projects in areas affected by oil exploration near Bonny River, community-based conservation in Oban Hills, and anti-poaching efforts in the Gashaka-Gumti National Park and Kainji Lake National Park. Its history includes collaborations with academic partners such as University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Lagos, and international research centers like the Center for International Forestry Research.

Mission and Objectives

The foundation’s stated mission aligns with the objectives of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, aiming to conserve threatened species such as the Cross River gorilla, the African elephant, the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee, and the West African manatee. Objectives emphasize habitat protection in ecoregions including the Guinean Forests of West Africa, sustainable fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea, and restoration of mangroves in the Niger Delta. It seeks policy influence in national instruments like the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (Nigeria), supports protected area management under frameworks used by the IUCN Protected Areas Categories System, and promotes community livelihoods compatible with conservation through models derived from the Integrated Conservation and Development Project approach.

Programs and Projects

Programs span terrestrial, freshwater, and marine conservation. Terrestrial initiatives include forest restoration in the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, anti-poaching patrols in the Okomu National Park, and endemic species monitoring in the Idanre Hills. Freshwater work targets riverine fish stocks in the Lower Niger and wetland rehabilitation in Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands, integrating methods from the Global Environment Facility and the International Union for Conservation of Nature guidelines. Marine and coastal programs address mangrove rehabilitation in the Bight of Benin, bycatch reduction near Bonny Island, and community-based marine protected areas near Calabar. The foundation has implemented environmental education curricula with partners like the Federal Ministry of Education (Nigeria) and non-state actors such as BirdLife International and the Jane Goodall Institute. Climate adaptation projects draw on frameworks from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and finance instruments from the Green Climate Fund.

Partnerships and Funding

The foundation partners with international NGOs such as World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International, Fauna & Flora International, and regional bodies including the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union. It collaborates with corporate actors in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation supply chain and with mining firms under standards like the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. Funding sources have included grants from the Global Environment Facility, the European Union, bilateral donors such as the United Kingdom Department for International Development, multilateral lenders like the African Development Bank, and private foundations including the Ford Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation. The foundation engages with legislative stakeholders such as the National Assembly (Nigeria) and regulatory agencies like the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency for policy-oriented work.

Organizational Structure

The organization is governed by a board of trustees comprising conservationists, legal experts, and business leaders drawn from institutions like the Nigerian Conservation Foundation—[note: name itself not linked per instruction]—regional universities and international NGOs. Executive management coordinates field staff, technical advisers, and community liaison officers deployed across sites in Lagos State, Cross River State, Bauchi State, and Delta State. Technical units include biodiversity science, policy and advocacy, community livelihoods, and communications, collaborating with academic partners such as the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the University of Port Harcourt. The foundation adheres to donor compliance standards common to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development aid guidelines and follows monitoring frameworks aligned with the Convention on Biological Diversity Aichi targets and successor frameworks.

Impact and Achievements

Key achievements include contributions to expanded protection for areas like Cross River National Park and support for species recovery programs for the African dwarf crocodile and the Pygmy hippopotamus in West Africa contexts. Programs have demonstrated community forest management successes in Omo Forest Reserve and mangrove rehabilitation measurable in the Niger Delta. The foundation’s advocacy influenced national policy dialogues around the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (Nigeria) and assisted enforcement actions coordinated with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Nigeria) and environmental regulators. International recognition has involved participation in conferences such as the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and partnerships with global conservation awards programs affiliated with institutions like the Prince's Rainforests Project.

Category:Environmental organizations based in Nigeria