Sports
Nigeria’s 400 remaining elephants face fight for survival -Conservationist
Nigeria has only about 400 elephants left in the wild, with conservationists warning that habitat loss, illegal ivory trade and human-wildlife conflict are threatening the survival of the species.
The conservationists disclosed this at a media engagement organised by Wild Africa and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) ahead of the World Elephant Day, celebrated annually on Aug. 12.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) monitored the event virtually.
Dr Mark Ofua, wildlife veterinarian, conservationist and West African representative of Wild Africa, said the remaining population comprised about 300 forest elephants and 100 savannah elephants.
Ofua described the population as a critical mass, warning that continued habitat fragmentation and hunting could result in inbreeding and eventually push the species into extinction.
“Elephants are tenders of the forest,” he said, explaining that the animals played important roles in maintaining forest health, biodiversity and ecological balance.
He described elephants as an “umbrella species”, saying their disappearance would signal that the forest ecosystem was unhealthy and collapsing.
According to him, the extinction of elephants would have consequences for biodiversity, carbon storage and other ecosystem services on which human populations depend.
Ofua said the threats to Nigeria’s elephants included illegal trade in ivory, retaliatory killings arising from human-elephant conflicts and accidental injuries from snares set for other wildlife.
He said the challenge went beyond wildlife conservation, as the disappearance of the species could have serious consequences for forest ecosystems and human wellbeing.
The conservationist also identified inadequate public awareness as a major challenge to elephant conservation in Nigeria.
He estimated that about 80 per cent of Nigerians were unaware that elephants still existed in the country.
Ofua, therefore, called for increased public education and stronger communication campaigns to change perceptions about wildlife and discourage practices that threatened endangered species.
He urged Nigerian companies to move beyond treating conservation as charity and instead regard it as part of their environmental responsibility.
According to him, companies could adopt individual rescued elephants and support conservation programmes as part of their corporate environmental commitments.
Ofua also called for greater investment in ecotourism, saying Nigeria could create jobs and generate revenue by developing its wildlife and natural attractions.
He cited Rwanda’s gorilla trekking programme as an example of how wildlife could generate revenue for conservation and local development.
Ofua said visitors paid about $1,500 for a one-hour gorilla trekking experience, with the revenue supporting local infrastructure and communities.
On illegal wildlife trade, he said elephant endangerment was not primarily driven by the bush-meat trade.
He identified the illegal black-market trade in ivory, retaliatory killings and accidental injuries from snares as major threats to the species.
He also called for changes in cultural practices involving elephant tusks and other wildlife products.
According to him, education was needed to encourage cultural evolution away from the use of animal parts.
Ofua said existing laws had loopholes relating to domestic possession of wildlife products, adding that a new bill awaiting presidential assent was expected to address some of the gaps.
He advocated stronger enforcement, public awareness and accountability against people involved in illegal wildlife activities.
The conservationist also stressed the need for closer collaboration among government agencies, NCF, the National Park Service, customs authorities and other stakeholders to combat illegal wildlife trade.
Dr Stella Egbe, who leads biodiversity pillar programmes at NCF, said forest elephants were found in areas including Omo Forest Reserve, Cross River National Park and coastal areas of Rivers State.
Egbe said savannah elephants were mainly found in Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi State.
She noted that elephant populations could move across state and national boundaries, including between Nigeria, Benin Republic and Cameroon.
According to her, scientific methods such as line transects and camera traps were used to conduct elephant surveys, while field observations and monitored poaching incidents also contributed to population estimates.
On human-elephant conflicts, Egbe said habitat fragmentation remained one of the major factors driving encounters between elephants and communities.
She said conflicts had occurred in areas such as Itasin, where encroachment into elephant habitats had resulted in crop destruction and retaliatory killings.
Egbe recommended reducing habitat fragmentation while using deterrent measures such as noise, beehives and chilli fences to keep elephants away from farmlands.
She, however, said inadequate emergency funding made it difficult for conservation organisations to compensate farmers whose crops were destroyed by elephants.
The NCF official also identified insecurity, including banditry and the proliferation of sophisticated weapons, as a major challenge to conservation activities in areas such as Gashaka Gumti.
According to her, insecurity limited the ability of conservationists to manage green spaces and conduct research.
Egbe said implementation of the National Elephant Action Plan remained constrained by inadequate funding.
She explained that although funding was secured for developing the plan, substantial resources were still required to implement the actions contained in it.
The NCF official called for stronger partnerships among government agencies, non-governmental organisations and the private sector to close funding gaps and strengthen conservation efforts.
She said NCF had existing collaborations with private-sector organisations, including Chevron and MTN, while continuing to advocate policies requiring businesses to mitigate their environmental impacts.
Egbe said Nigeria’s abundance of natural resources had contributed to the neglect of wildlife and tourism, with greater attention historically given to crude oil and mineral exploration.
She said protecting green spaces and wildlife could generate year-round economic activities and create employment in sectors such as hospitality and transportation.
NAN reports that the conservationists lamented that several of Nigeria’s natural attractions, including waterfalls, floating lakes and other unique sites, remained largely underdeveloped and poorly marketed.
They stressed that developing ecotourism could diversify Nigeria’s economy while providing sustainable funding for conservation and benefiting communities living around protected areas.
The participants also urged journalists and other stakeholders to sustain public discussion on wildlife conservation and hold relevant authorities accountable for protecting Nigeria’s remaining elephant populations. (NAN).
By Eze Nnadi
The federal government has redeemed its financial and house pledges to the players and officials of both the Super Falcons and D’Tigress football and basketball teams, following their victories at the 2025 Women African Football Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and Federation of International Africa Basketball (FIBA) Women Afrobasket championship.
The National Sports Commission, in a statement on Thursday, confirmed the payment of the naira equivalent of $100,000 to each player of Nigeria’s senior women’s football and basketball team, as part of the Presidential Reward for their victory at the 2025 WAFCON and FIBA Women’s Afrobasket.
The commission also confirmed the payment of the naira equivalent of $50,000 to each of the two team’s officials.
The statement further noted that accounts of the players and officials were credited on September 9, 2026, with the NSC saying all recipients had confirmed receipt of the funds.
D’Tigress won the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket title for a record fifth consecutive time and seventh overall in 2025., while the Super Falcons, who recently crashed out of the 2026 edition of WAFCON, won a record tenth championship last year.
The commission said the payment completed all components of the rewards promised to members of the team by President Bola Tinubu.
The NSC, in a statement signed by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Kehinde Ajayi, said the Presidential Rewards comprised three-bedroom flats in Abuja, national honours of the Order of the Niger and the cash payments.
The commission recalled that the players and officials received the title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja and certificates of national honours in February 2026 during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in Lyon, France.
The NSC said the documents were duly signed by the president of the Federal Republic, Bola Tinubu.
The statement said, “With the payment, the entire presidential rewards promised to each member of the team by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR comprising a 3-Bedroom flat in Abuja, national honours of OON and Naira equivalent of $USD 100,000 to players and $USD 50,000 to officials have been fully redeemed and completed.
“This unprecedented rewards to the players and athletes by the Federal Government of Nigeria is in alignment with the Renewed Hope initiative and Shared Prosperity agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR which places athletes’ welfare and appropriate rewards top on the priority list.”
The commission thanked Tinubu for his support for Nigerian sports, saying his policies had given impetus to its reform agenda and efforts to develop a sustainable sports economy.
It also appreciated the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for their collaboration in implementing the rewards.
The NSC said the collaboration ensured that the Presidential Rewards were implemented “in record time within the due process requirements.”
The President of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), Dr Ademola Are, has commended the leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC) for its proactive support for national teams preparing to represent Nigeria at international competitions.
NRFF media department said in a statement issued on Thursday that Are spoke on the sidelines of the ongoing World Rugby Level 1 and 2 medical, coaching and match officiating course in Abuja, where he praised NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and Director-General, Bukola Olopade, for creating what he described as an enabling environment for sports federations to thrive. He particularly acknowledged the Commission’s support for national teams across different sports, stressing that the approach has boosted preparations for international competitions.
The NRFF President said the Stallions are currently preparing for the World Rugby Sevens 3 competition in Uganda and have received the necessary backing from the NSC to put the team in the best possible shape. “We are preparing for the World Rugby Sevens 3 in Uganda, and we have received the needed support from the National Sports Commission for our preparation. It has never been this good,” Are said.
He added that Olopade had, upon assuming office, promised to support all sports federations and was already living up to that commitment. “The Director-General, on assumption of office, promised to give support to all federations, and he is living up to that promise. We hope to make the country proud in Uganda,” he said.
While acknowledging the quality of opposition awaiting Nigeria, Are expressed confidence that the Stallions can defy expectations and secure a place on the global stage. “We know it is going to be tough, but we have a very good chance of punching above our weight and picking the World Rugby Sevens 3 ticket,” he added.
In Uganda, the Stallions will battle hosts Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Tunisia, Morocco and Senegal for the coveted qualification ticket. The tournament will also serve as the opening leg of the 2026 Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens Series, with the winner earning qualification for the World Rugby SVNS 3 2027 competition.
Former Ivory Coast and Manchester City midfielder, Yaya Touré has described players of Paris Saint German, PSG, as playing like machines in the team’s 6-1 pounding of his Slovan Bratislava side in their Champions League opener
Touré, who made history as the first African manager to lead an European side in the Champions League league phase, watched PSG take control of the game and punish Slovan whenever space opened up at the Parc des Stadium
Ferran Torres scored three times, while Ousmane Dembélé added two goals and Fabián Ruiz completed the rout as the reigning European champions turned the match into a one-sided contest.
Touré noted thstthe quality of Luis Enrique’s team was the biggest lesson of the night.
“They are a machine,” he said. “Defence, midfield, attack they’re complete. You can’t press them. They know each other so well. It’s not easy. They hurt you.”
The Ivorian did not hide his admiration for the way Enrique has put the PSG side together, particularly their movement and ability to attack with numbers.
“I’d like to copy everything about this PSG. It’s incredible. Seeing the way Luis Enrique has built this team… they have everything from back to front. They are always in numbers, they move so well.”
Touré emphasised that his players should not leave Paris feeling ashamed of the result, noting that, the 6-1 scoreline reflected the gap between a developing Slovan team and a PSG squad packed with elite talent.
“We have no regrets. We played against a stronger team tonight. My players gave everything. The gap is considerable between the two sides. When you face a team that is better than you, you understand it.”
The former Ivory Coast international went further by backing PSG to remain serious contenders for the trophy. He pointed to the depth of their squad and the number of players capable of deciding matches.
“PSG will come close to winning this trophy again. They are so strong in every aspect of the game. There are nine or ten Ballon d’Or nominees in that squad. The danger comes from everywhere.” The former Ivory Coast international noted
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