List of national parks of Nigeria

National Parks of Nigeria

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. The National Parks Governing Board and five new National Parks were set up in 1991.

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.[4]

  1. ^ "Functions". Nigeria National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2017-12-11. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  2. ^ Mustapha Suleiman (29 October 2009). "National Parks Governing Board Inaugurated". Daily Trust. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  3. ^ Wale Olapade (8 September 2010). "NPC reaffirms partnership with NTDC". Nigerian Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 September 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  4. ^ "Evolution of Parks in Nigeria". Nigeria National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2017-12-11. Retrieved 2010-10-21.