Current status of Biodiversity in Nigeria

Category of Biodiversity related sites

Number

Comments

National Parks

7

Main reservoir of Nigeria’s biodiversity, but suffering from low funding and several management and technical challenges

Important Bird Areas

27

Identified as important biodiversity areas too. All National Parks have IBAS within them and 60% of Nigeria Ramsar sites are also IBAs

Ramsar Sites

11

Management plans have been developed for four of these sites (Apoi Creek, Lower Kaduna, Oguta Lake and Baturiya) but are yet to be implemented due to lack of funding. The national wetland policy is at draft stage and there are plans to designate four more sites (Chingurme, Ibom/Cross River estuary, Wawan Rafi Wetlands and Akassa coastal wetland.

World Heritage Sites

2

Forest Reserves

994

50% still maintain their FR status, while the remaining 50% have either been dereserved or have been encroached upon and converted to either farmlands or residential areas

Game Reserves ( State

Governments and a few

managed by communities)

32

60% under various levels of management

Biosphere Reserve

1

The only named Biosphere Reserve according to UNSECO is in Omo Forest Reserve, Ogun State, Nigeria

Sacred groves

N/A

Many in number and at varied level of

protection