Nigeria’s Senate has approved a landmark bill introducing harsher penalties for wildlife traffickers, marking a major step in the country’s fight against illegal trade in ivory, pangolin scales, and other endangered species.
The new Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill—already passed by the House of Representatives in May—imposes fines of up to ₦12 million ($8,200) and prison sentences of up to 10 years for offenders. The legislation replaces outdated laws that previously carried much lighter penalties, including fines as low as ₦100,000 ($68) and jail terms of just three months.
Conservationists say the new law could significantly disrupt international criminal networks that have turned Nigeria into a major hub for the illegal wildlife trade. These networks have been linked to more than 30 tonnes of ivory smuggled since 2015 and over half of all global pangolin scale trafficking between 2016 and 2019.
The bill strengthens enforcement by empowering Nigerian Customs to trace financial transactions linked to wildlife crime, inspect and detain aircraft or ships suspected of transporting illegal products, and seize assets connected to trafficking. It also allows judges to fast-track related cases and confiscate offenders’ property.
Beyond trafficking, the law bans pollution of wildlife habitats and the consumption of endangered species. It also aligns Nigeria’s conservation framework with international treaties, including provisions for the extradition of offenders involved in cross-border crimes.
“This is a huge win for Nigeria and shows, without any doubt, that we remain committed to stamping out wildlife trafficking and protecting our unique fauna and flora,” said Terseer Ugbor, the lawmaker who sponsored the bill.
Environmental organizations welcomed the move. “For too long, traffickers have used Nigeria as a transit point, moving endangered species from across Africa through our borders and ports to export illegally to Europe and Asia,” said Tunde Morakinyo, Executive Director of the Africa Nature Investors Foundation (ANI).
Conservation groups are urging President Bola Tinubu to sign the bill into law before the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) summit in Uzbekistan this November, where Nigeria’s progress on wildlife protection will be closely watched.
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Source:Africa Publicity
