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Nigeria

1002
Total Protected Areas
11 With management effectiveness evaluations
Terrestrial and Inland Waters Protected Areas
Marine Protected Areas
Other effective area-based conservation measures
0
Total Other effective area-based conservation measures
Polygons/Points ratio
Polygons 97%
Points 3%
Discover Protected Areas and OECMs
Terrestrial and Inland Waters Protected Areas
Marine Protected Areas
Other effective area-based conservation measures
ON
Map Disclaimer
The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

• Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.
• Final boundary between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been determined.
• Final status of the Abyei area is not yet determined.
• A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

Terrestrial and inland waters protected area coverage

13.94% Coverage

126,735km2 Land area covered

908,933km2 Total land area

6.00% 5th National Report coverage

PAME

1.59% With management effectiveness evaluations

14,417km2 Areas assessed

Marine protected area Coverage

0.02% Coverage

33km2 Marine and coastal area covered

178,066km2 Total marine and coastal area

PAME

0% With management effectiveness evaluations

0km2 Areas assessed

Disclaimer: These statistics might differ from those reported officially by countries due to difference in methodologies and datasets used to assess protected area coverage and differences in the base maps used to measure terrestrial and marine area of a country or territory.

IUCN Management Categories

SeriesChart100%Chart created using amCharts library

Governance types

SeriesChart100%Chart created using amCharts library

Sources 15

  1. Protected areas of Nigeria Updated: 1990 Nigerian Conservation Foundation
  2. Protected areas of Nigeria Updated: 1978 Government of Nigeria, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Department of Forestry
  3. Gashaka Gumti National Park, Nigeria Updated: 2021 Africa Nature Investors Foundation
  4. Protected Areas of the Cross River region Updated: 2006 Not Reported
  5. Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance Updated: 2023 Ramsar Secretariat, on behalf of Ramsar Contracting Parties
  6. The SW/Niger Delta Forest Project protected areas Updated: 2021 The SW/Niger Delta Forest Project
  7. UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve Updated: 2020 UNESCO-MAB
  8. Source is currently unknown Updated: - Not Reported
  9. Game Reserves in Nigeria Updated: 1991 Nigerian Conservation Foundation
  10. Chad Basin Updated: 2003 National Parks Service, Nigeria
  11. Protected Areas of Nigeria Updated: 2007 Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigeria.
  12. Game reserves of Nigeria Updated: 1986 Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MANR), Nigeria
  13. Baturiya Wetlands Updated: 1991 Not Reported
  14. Kuyambana Updated: 1993 National Parks Service, Nigeria
  15. Forest reserves Nigeria Updated: 1978 Federal Department of Forestry, Nigeria

Designations

  • 98.6%
  • 1.3%
  • 0.1%

National designations

988
  • Forest Reserve 928
  • Wildlife Sanctuary 2
  • National Park 19
  • Strict Nature Reserve 5
  • Community Forest 1
  • Game Reserve 33

Regional designations

0

    International designations

    13
    • Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance 11
    • UNESCO-MAB Biosphere Reserve 2

    Other designations

    1
    • Conservation Area 1

    citation

    UNEP-WCMC (2025). Protected Area Profile for Nigeria from the World Database on Protected Areas, April 2025. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net

    Downloads
    Citation

    UNEP-WCMC and IUCN (2025), Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM) [Online], April 2025, Cambridge, UK: UNEP-WCMC and IUCN. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net.