New Wildlife Law Strengthens Protection for Endangered Species

Nigeria is moving towards stronger wildlife protections with a new law designed to improve conservation efforts, tackle wildlife crime and strengthen safeguards for endangered species.

“This new bill significantly strengthens Nigeria’s capacity to tackle serious wildlife trafficking, targeting not only individual offenders but also organised criminal networks operating across borders,” said Justin Gosling, Criminal Justice Programme Specialist at the Environmental Investigation Agency.

The legislation replaces older and overlapping laws with a clearer framework aligned with international agreements on wildlife protection. It expands the definition of wildlife offences, clarifies which agencies are responsible for investigations and prosecutions, and strengthens tools for gathering evidence against criminal networks. The changes come after a review of cases from 2012 to 2021 found that only 11 wildlife crime cases reached court and just three resulted in convictions, highlighting the potential for stronger enforcement and long-term conservation gains.