Nigerian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

Nigerian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
Name	Nigerian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
Caption	Strategic conservation framework
Date adopted	2006
Jurisdiction	Federal Republic of Nigeria
Ministries	Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Related	Convention on Biological Diversity, United Nations Environment Programme, International Union for Conservation of Nature

Contents

Nigerian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan is a national policy framework adopted to conserve Biodiversity, restore degraded ecosystems, and integrate biodiversity concerns into sectoral planning across the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The plan aligns Nigeria with international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and the Nagoya Protocol, and coordinates actions among agencies including the Federal Ministry of Environment (Nigeria), the Nigeria Conservation Foundation, and the National Biosafety Management Agency.

Background and context

The strategy emerged from Nigeria's commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity following conferences such as the Earth Summit and preparatory meetings hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization. Historical drivers include land-use change in the Niger Delta, deforestation in the Jos Plateau, desertification linked to the Sahel dynamics, and biodiversity loss documented by researchers at institutions like the University of Ibadan and the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology. Political processes involved cabinet-level endorsement via the Federal Executive Council (Nigeria) and technical inputs from agencies such as the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.

Primary objectives set priorities for conservation of ecosystems such as the Cross River National Park, sustainable use of species including Nigerian croaker stocks and West African manatee, and equitable benefit-sharing referenced by the Nagoya Protocol and the African Union. Guiding principles draw on international norms articulated at the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties, emphasizing precautionary approaches used by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and participatory management models practiced by the Kainji Lake National Park authorities. The plan commits to gender mainstreaming consistent with the African Development Bank policies and indigenous rights recognized in instruments like the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Strategic priority areas include: (1) in situ conservation of protected areas such as Gashaka-Gumti National Park and Yankari National Park; (2) ex situ conservation through institutions like the National Arboretum and botanical collections at the University of Lagos; (3) sustainable agriculture interventions relevant to the Nigerian Agricultural Policy and research by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture; (4) fisheries management addressing challenges in the Gulf of Guinea and artisanal fleets registered at the Nigerian Ports Authority; and (5) invasive species control informed by case studies from the Lake Chad Basin Commission and regional programs coordinated by the Economic Community of West African States. Cross-cutting themes reference climate resilience per guidance from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and ecosystem restoration linked to the Bonn Challenge.

Implementation assigns roles to federal bodies such as the Federal Ministry of Environment (Nigeria), sectoral ministries including the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, research institutions like the University of Ibadan, and civil society organizations including the Nigeria Conservation Foundation and the Society for Conservation Biology. The framework envisages coordination through inter-ministerial committees modeled after mechanisms at the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment and technical working groups linked to the National Biosafety Management Agency. Legal instruments referenced include provisions harmonized with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency Act and complementarity with state-level policies of entities such as the Lagos State Government and the Rivers State Government.

Funding strategies propose domestic budget allocations through the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, performance-based grants similar to models used by the Global Environment Facility, and donor support from partners including the World Bank and the African Development Bank. Monitoring and evaluation arrangements draw on biodiversity indicators promoted by the Convention on Biological Diversity and data systems used by the National Space Research and Development Agency and research networks at institutions like the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research. Periodic reporting aligns with Convention on Biological Diversity national reporting cycles and performance reviews comparable to those undertaken by the United Nations Development Programme.

The plan fosters partnerships among national stakeholders such as state environmental agencies, academic centers like the University of Benin, and non-governmental organizations including the World Wide Fund for Nature-Nigeria office. International cooperation spans multilateral organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme, bilateral donors including the United Kingdom Department for International Development, and regional bodies like the Economic Community of West African States and the Lake Chad Basin Commission. Collaboration extends to private-sector actors including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and certification schemes administered by organizations such as the Forest Stewardship Council.

Category:Environment of Nigeria Category:Conservation in Nigeria