The Dutch elephant conservation organisation Friends of the Elephant featured an article on Nigeria’s elephant population crisis in the Winter 2025 edition of its magazine, De Olifant.
The article, produced in collaboration with Wild Africa, outlines the dramatic decline of Nigeria’s elephant population, which has fallen by 73% over the past three decades, from more than 1,200 individuals to just 300–400 today. This decline is largely driven by poaching for ivory. Since 2015, Nigeria has become a major hub for illegal ivory trafficking, linked to the smuggling of more than 30 tonnes of ivory destined for Asian markets.
Despite these challenges, the article highlights key conservation interventions offering renewed hope. These include the landmark Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, currently in the process of becoming law, which will introduce tougher penalties for wildlife crime, including fines of up to US$8,200 and prison sentences of up to 10 years for ivory traffickers.
The article also features Nigeria’s new National Elephant Action Plan (NEAP), which focuses on reducing human-elephant conflict, restoring fragmented habitats, strengthening anti-poaching patrols, and supporting communities through non-lethal deterrents such as chilli fences, beehives, trenches, and noise-makers, while promoting conservation-linked tourism opportunities.
Linus Unah, West Africa Director for Wild Africa, told De Olifant: “Although the past few years have been dire for Nigeria’s elephants, the future looks more promising. If conservation partners, governments, and communities work together, these populations can recover.”
