List of national parks of Nigeria

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National Parks of Nigeria Nigerian National Parks.svg
National Parks of Nigeria

The national parks of Nigeria are preserved, enhanced, protected and managed by the Nigeria National Park Service. [1] The Nigeria National Park Service is a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of the Environment, and is headed by a conservator general. [2] It works closely with the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation. [3]

Contents

The first national park was Kainji Lake, established by the military ruler General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1979. [4] The National Parks Governing Board and five new National Parks were set up in 1991. [4]

Yankari Game Reserve was upgraded to a national park in 1992, although it was later handed over to the Bauchi State government in June 2006.

The parks cover a total land area of approximately 20,156 km2 (7,782 sq mi), or about 3% of Nigeria's total land area. [5]

Parks

ParkAreaEstablishedState(s)Notes
km2sq mi
Chad Basin 2,2588721991 Borno, Yobe Includes part of the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands and the Sambisa Game Reserve
Cross River 4,0001,5001991 Cross River Okwangwo section and Oban section (1,906 km2; 736 sq mi)
Gashaka Gumti 6,7312,5991991 Taraba, Adamawa
Kainji 5,3822,0781979 Niger, Kwara Includes Kainji Lake, Borgu Game Reserve and Zugurma Game Reserve
Kamuku 1,1214331999 Kaduna
Okomu 181701999 Edo Part of the Okomu Forest Reserve
Old Oyo 2,5129701991 Oyo, Kwara
Yankari 2,2448661962 Bauchi Operated by the Bauchi State government
Oba Hills 4,2291,6332021 Iwo Upgraded to National Park in 2021 and officially handed offer to federal Government in 2024

History

Colonial era

During British colonial rule, authorities used forest conservation as a pretense for further colonial exploitation of Nigeria's resources. [6] This included the establishment of a forestry department and policies on forestry. [6]

Establishment of the National Parks Service

The first national park was Kainji Lake, established by the military ruler General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1979. [4] The National Parks Governing Board and five new National Parks were set up in 1991. [4]

Despite their establishment, Nigeria's national parks have faced various challenges, including habitat degradation, poaching, and illegal logging. [7] [8]

References

  1. ↑ "Functions". Nigeria National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2017-12-11. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  2. ↑ Mustapha Suleiman (29 October 2009). "National Parks Governing Board Inaugurated". Daily Trust. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  3. ↑ Wale Olapade (8 September 2010). "NPC reaffirms partnership with NTDC". Nigerian Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 September 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Evolution of National Parks in Nigeria". Nigeria National Park Service. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  5. ↑ "Evolution of Parks in Nigeria". Nigeria National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2017-12-11. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  6. 1 2 Ado, A.S. (2022). "An Overview of British Colonial Forest Conservation in Northern Nigeria". Journal of Humanities. 13 (1): 144–162.
  7. ↑ Oghenevwogaga, Egboduku (2019-01-01). "A review of the biodiversity conservation status of Nigeria". Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity. 4 (1): 73–83. doi:10.22120/jwb.2019.115501.1096.
  8. ↑ Adediran, D. I.; Rashidi, A. O.; Adeshina, F. A. (2016). "Criminality: Illegal Logging of Woods in Nigeria's South-West Forest Belt" (PDF). African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies. 9 (1): 141–153.
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