The recent suspension of major US aid and development funding is affecting not just the world’s poorest people but its most threatened natural environments too. In 2023, USAID spent $375 million on conservation projects around the world. Stopping this flow of funds disrupts ongoing programmes but also erodes the trust and momentum built over years of hard work.
This sudden shock has highlighted the vulnerability of relying too heavily on external and international funding, which can be unpredictable and subject to geopolitical shifts. With World Wildlife Day on Monday, March 3, 2025, focusing on sustainable finance for protecting nature, it’s a stern reminder that in Nigeria we need to shift from reliance on international donors to empowering local philanthropists and businesses to take the lead and pushing government authorities to adopt enabling policies.
As someone who has dedicated over 15 years to wildlife conservation in Nigeria, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of local funding alongside the impact of international recognition. This does not undermine the continuous need for international support. Some years ago, I was a finalist for the Tusk Conservation Awards, the world’s leading international prize recognising African conservation leaders. Nominations are open for this year’s awards, and I strongly recommend that my brothers and sisters in the conservation sector nominate their colleagues, peers, mentors, or other inspiring leaders at tuskawards.com.
While my recognition as a finalist brought the international spotlight and much needed credibility to our project in Yankari Game Reserve, it also raised our profile within my country Nigeria. Historically, government almost never provided much-needed investment for conservation because they don’t see the immediate returns, in the way they do from activities such as crude oil extraction. They don’t appreciate the unquantified returns through ecosystem services, carbon sequestration, security and many more. My nomination I believe was a wake-up call for Nigerians. It demonstrated that our work and what other colleagues were doing in conservation was not only legitimate but also worthy of global attention.
This national and international shift in perception due to the award had tangible benefits. Funding opportunities for our project increased. Partnerships became more accessible. It opened doors. It signaled to the world that Nigerian conservationists were as committed as their contemporaries around the world. Perhaps most importantly, it inspired confidence among local stakeholders, proving that conservation is not just a passion but a viable and impactful endeavor.
Nigerian philanthropists, businesses, and government officials are increasingly recognising the value of conservation and investing in it accordingly, though more needs to be done. When national parks and protected areas are well-managed, they can become engines of economic growth and development, providing jobs, supporting livelihoods, and attracting tourism and investment.
They also play a critical role in mitigating climate change while preserving biodiversity. When they are ignored, they can become potential breeding grounds for criminality and even terrorism. Boko Haram for instance grew from strength to strength out of the Sambisa Forest Reserve in north-east Nigeria.
African Nature Investors Foundation (ANI Foundation), the Nigerian-founded and led nonprofit where I now work, is focused on the sustainable management of protected areas of strategic biodiversity importance in partnership with government and communities. We believe that protected areas can be engines for local and regional development. We also aim to establish enabling conditions for private sector investment to sustain protected areas, reducing their dependency on philanthropy and government spending.
That is why we signed an agreement with the Nigeria National Park Service as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to co-manage Gashaka-Gumti National Park – Nigeria’s largest – and Okomu National Park. These agreements are the first of their kind for national park management in Nigeria and enable the very private sector investment we believe will be transformational for conservation.
Today, the majority of ANI Foundation’s funding is generated from the Nigerian private sector. This is a testament to the potential of African philanthropy. Nigeria and the rest of Africa have immense wealth that could easily fund all the continent’s biodiversity conservation activities if it were made a priority.
Local funding offers several advantages. It is more flexible; it understands the local context and often comes with fewer strings attached. It also fosters a sense of ownership and pride among Nigerians, demonstrating that we are capable of leading our own conservation efforts.
ANI believes that indigenous philanthropy coupled with innovative funding mechanisms, such as carbon credits and ecotourism, can make conservation financially sustainable. We believe it is imperative that our protected areas begin to generate enough revenue to manage themselves, reducing our over reliance on external funding.
To do this, we need policies that support conservation efforts, such as allocating a percentage of oil revenues to fund protected areas. We also need to build partnerships with international organisations, not as primary funders but as collaborators who can amplify our efforts.
The time to act is now. Nigeria’s natural heritage is at risk, and we cannot afford to solely rely on international donors to come to our rescue, charity begins at home. To my fellow Nigerians, I urge you to support conservation efforts in any way you can. Whether through donations, advocacy, lifestyle choices, or partnerships, your little contributions cumulatively can make a difference. We must take the lead and demonstrate that conservation is not just a moral imperative but can also be a profitable and sustainable investment.
By Nacha Geoffrey, a conservationist; Nigeria Country Manager for ANI Foundation; and 2017 finalist for the Tusk Conservation Awards. See tuskawards.com/nominations for this year’s Awards nominations