Only 400 elephants left in Nigeria — conservationists sound alarm

Nigeria is on the brink of losing its elephants entirely. The country’s elephant population has declined by 99%, with only 300 to 400 remaining — including 200 to 300 critically endangered forest elephants and roughly 100 savannah elephants, according to The Punch and corroborated by multiple conservation bodies.

Nigeria’s elephant population has dropped from over 1,200 individuals just 30 years ago to between 300 and 400 today, now scattered in small, fragmented herds across protected areas including Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi State, Cross River National Park, and Okomu National Park.

Conservationists warn that increasing pressure from habitat destruction, poaching and human encroachment continues to threaten the species’ survival, while Nigeria has also emerged as a major transit hub for illegal ivory, with nearly a quarter of the world’s seized ivory shipped through Nigerian ports.

In response, Nigeria launched its first-ever National Elephant Action Plan for 2024–2034, developed with the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Elephant Protection Initiative, designed to reverse the decline and ensure long-term survival of the remaining population. Conservationists warn, however, that without urgent government commitment and funding, the plan risks remaining on paper.