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The Tourism Sector in Nigeria

by Fred Nwaozor The tourism sector in Nigeria is a largely untapped yet highly promising component of the national economy. With her vast landmass, rich cultural diversity, and varied ecosystems, Nigeria possesses the natural and human resources required to build a thriving tourism industry. Tourism, if properly harnessed, can serve as a major source of revenue, employment, and international goodwill for the country. Nigeria’s cultural diversity is one of its greatest tourism assets. With over 250 ethnic groups, each with distinct languages, traditions, festivals, and cuisines, the country offers a wide range of cultural experiences. Traditional festivals such as the Argungu Fishing Festival, Osun-Osogbo Festival, Durbar Festival, and New Yam festivals attract both local and international visitors. The country is also blessed with numerous natural attractions that have strong tourism potential. These include scenic landscapes such as the Obudu Mountain Resort in Cross River ...

Senate passes Wildlife Protection Bill

Rufus Okoro
The Nigeria’s Senate has passed the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, 2024, a legislation aimed at curbing wildlife trafficking and strengthening environmental protection.

The bill, already approved by the House of Representatives in May 2025, now awaits President Bola Tinubu’s assent to become law.

The new law overhauls the 1985 Endangered Species Act, introducing tougher penalties, wider investigative powers, and financial tracking mechanisms to target wildlife traffickers.

It also aligns Nigeria’s laws with global conventions such as CITES, enabling cross-border investigations and extraditions.

The sponsor of the bill and deputy chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Terseer Ugbor, hailed its passage as “a huge win for Nigeria,” saying it would protect the nation’s wildlife and natural heritage.

Nigeria has faced global scrutiny for its role as a transit hub in illegal wildlife trade, with the United Nations reports linking it to the trafficking of over 30 tonnes of ivory and millions of pangolin scales in recent years.

Environmental groups, including the Africa Nature Investors Foundation, EIA UK, and Wild Africa, praised the Senate’s move and urged swift presidential assent ahead of next month’s UN CITES meeting in Uzbekistan.

Once signed into law, the bill would empower enforcement agencies to pursue wildlife crimes more effectively and position Nigeria as a leader in conservation efforts across Africa.