The Federal Ministry of Environment, in partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), has unveiled the National Vulture Conservation Action Plan (NVCAP) aimed at halting the dramatic decline of vulture populations across Nigeria.
The initiative, which promotes coordinated policy reform, scientific research, and community engagement, was announced during a two-day workshop held in Lagos titled “Reducing the Demand for Vultures in Traditional Medicine Practices in Nigeria.”
Speaking at the event, the Director of Forestry at the Federal Department of Forestry, Dr. Moses Ama, stressed the essential ecological role vultures play in disease prevention. Represented by the Deputy Director, Bosede Olukanni.
He said, “Nigeria is blessed with a rich array of wildlife species, each contributing to the delicate ecological balance that sustains life.
“Among these, vultures hold a unique and irreplaceable role as nature’s clean-up agents, preventing the spread of deadly diseases through the efficient disposal of animal carcasses.”
Ama warned that several species are on the brink of extinction:
“Six of our vulture species are listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, including the Hooded Vulture and White-backed Vulture.
“This disturbing trend not only threatens biodiversity but poses serious public health risks and undermines our international conservation commitments.”
The Director-General of NCF, Dr. Joseph Onoja, also underscored the need to safeguard Nigeria’s natural ecosystem, cautioning that humans, as top predators, are most at risk from ecological collapse.
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Health Minister Identifies Neglected Tropical Diseases as Major Threat
“All of these things that nature has provided are for our benefit at the end of the day.
“There is a need for us to protect the ecosystem from collapsing. If that ecosystem collapses, because we are at the top, our fall will be higher, and it will be more painful.
“That is why we need to be concerned about what is happening to our species, especially the vultures.”
The NVCAP outlines strategic measures, including nationwide awareness campaigns to educate the public about the importance of vultures, the threats posed by illegal wildlife trade, and their declining numbers due to traditional medicine practices.
It also advocates for the passage of the Endangered Species Protection and Conservation Bill 2024, which will provide tougher penalties and modern enforcement tools to tackle wildlife crimes.
A multi-stakeholder approach is central to the plan, involving law enforcement, NGOs, traditional leaders, and international organisations, to ensure the long-term survival of vultures and uphold Nigeria’s environmental obligations.