BY OSAMUDIAMEN IDEMUDIA
The Federal Government in collaboration with the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation, EPIF, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, WCS, has launched Nigeria’s first ever National Elephant Action Plan (NEAP).
The plan is designed to reverse the decline of Nigeria’s critically endangered elephant population, currently estimated at just 300–400 individuals and on the brink of extinction.
Nigeria has emerged as a major transit hub for illegal wildlife products, including nearly a quarter of the world’s seized ivory.
It has already lost 99% of its elephants and threats such as poaching for ivory and habitat destruction still remain.
Human-elephant conflict, due to crop raiding which often leads to retaliatory killings, is now the major threat to the survival of the elephants in Nigeria.
NEAP was designed in response to these issues and lays out clearly and in detail the measures Nigeria must take to protect its remaining elephants, from protecting their habitat to mitigating human-elephant conflicts and cracking down on illicit trafficking of ivory.
All 36 African elephant range states committed themselves in 2010 to writing NEAPs to ensure a secure future for African elephants and their habitats by restoring sustainable elephant populations throughout their present and potential range.
Critical to successfully achieving these goals is the development and implementation of individual National Elephant Action Plans.
These plans, championed by national governments and made possible through technical and financial support from the EPIF, provide a framework for effective elephant conservation on a country-by-country basis.
At the lunch in Abuja, the minister of state for environment, Dr Izaq Salako expressed commitment of the federal government to sustainable management and conservation of Nigeria natural resources especially wildlife.
Dr salako said the launching of NEAP was a resolve to protect the county’s wildlife’s including the elephants not just for nature and humanity but also for sustainable economic development. ,
The Chairperson, Elephant protection initiative, leadership council, and former Minister of State for Environment, chief Sharon Ikeazor, said Nigeria must leverage on the power of education and public awareness to fight against poaching and illegal wildlife trade.
Wildlife conservation society, WCS, Nigeria Country Director, Andrew Dunn, who coordinated the writing of the comprehensive plan, said: “Saving Nigeria’s last elephants will require more than just funds; it will require a significant change in attitude at all levels and a paradigm shift by federal and state governments towards a realization that human wellbeing and global health are inextricably linked to biodiversity loss and climate change.”
In their various goodwill messages, Head of corporation, European Union, Delegation to Nigeria, Mr Ruben Alba, Director of state engagement, Elephant Protection initiative foundation, Korogone Sinagabe, representatives of Africa Nature investor, Mr Wilson Ogoke, and the National parks service, Hawa jalafanu promised to support Nigeria on conservation efforts to protect wildlife.
The NEAP for Nigeria is a 10-year strategic plan (2024-2034) developed by the Ministry of environment to ensure the long-term survival of elephants in Nigeria.