List of national parks of Nigeria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
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
| Park | Area | Established | State(s) | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km2 | sq mi | |||||
| Chad Basin | 2,258 | 872 | 1991 | Borno, Yobe | Includes part of the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands and the Sambisa Game Reserve | |
| Cross River | 4,000 | 1,500 | 1991 | Cross River | Okwangwo section and Oban section (1,906 km2; 736 sq mi) | |
| Gashaka Gumti | 6,402 | 2,472 | 1991 | Taraba, Adamawa | ||
| Kainji | 5,341 | 2,062 | 1979 | Niger, Kwara | Includes Kainji Lake, Borgu Game Reserve and Zugurma Game Reserve | |
| Kamuku | 1,120 | 430 | 1999 | Kaduna | ||
| Okomu | 181 | 70 | 1999 | Edo | Part of the Okomu Forest Reserve | |
| Old Oyo | 2,512 | 970 | 1991 | Oyo, Kwara | ||
| Yankari | 2,244 | 866 | 1962 | Bauchi | Operated by the Bauchi State government | |
| Oba Hills | 4,229 | 1,633 | 2021 | 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]