The Wild Africa, a non-governmental organisation, has hailed the successful passage of the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, 2024.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Festus Iyorah, Nigeria Representative of Wild Africa, and made available to journalists yesterday in Lagos.
The bill is awaiting the President’s assent after its passage by the Senate on Tuesday.
The House of Representatives had earlier passed the bill in May.
Iyorah explained that the Bill updates existing wildlife laws, increases penalties for wildlife crimes, and strengthens investigative powers for financial tracking and intelligence-led operations.
He added that it empowers judges to fast-track wildlife cases, recover assets from offenders, and promote international cooperation through extradition and global treaty alignment.
According to him, Nigeria has in the last decade become a major hub for the trafficking of ivory and pangolin scales to Asian markets.
He noted that Nigeria was linked to the smuggling of over 30 tonnes of ivory since 2015 and more than half of global pangolin scale trafficking between 2016 and 2019.
Environmental organisations, he said, have praised the development, describing the Bill as a decisive step in tackling organised wildlife trafficking.
Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment and sponsor of the bill, Mr Terseer Ugbor, described it as a huge win for Nigeria.
He said the law will protect Nigeria’s forests and wildlife from exploitation and criminal activities, safeguarding the nation’s environment and future.
The Executive Director of the Africa Nature Investors Foundation, Mr Tunde Morakinyo, said the Bill marks a historic milestone for Nigeria.
He explained that traffickers had long used Nigeria as a transit route for illegal wildlife trade to Europe and Asia, damaging the nation’s reputation.
Morakinyo said the new law would stop this destructive trade and make Nigeria a leader in wildlife protection across Africa.
Executive Director of the Environmental Investigation Agency UK, Mary Rice, said the legislation is a milestone showing Nigeria’s commitment to ending wildlife crime.
She urged full implementation, stressing that sustainable enforcement is key to prosecuting offenders and achieving long-term environmental protection.
Peter Knights, CEO of Wild Africa, expressed hope that the President would promptly sign the Bill into law before the UN CITES meeting in November.
He said enacting the law before the meeting in Uzbekistan would highlight Nigeria’s commitment to fighting wildlife crime globally.
The Africa Nature Investors Foundation, EIA UK, and Wild Africa have long supported Nigeria’s anti-trafficking efforts.
They included the Pangolin Conservation Fund, UK Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, and U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs as partners.
EIA, through the EU-funded GUARD Wildlife Project, will support enforcement and ensure proper implementation of the new law.
With Senate approval secured, the bill now awaits presidential assent to strengthen action against wildlife crime.