With the paucity of funds needed to adequately management its over 22,206 km2 of conserved area and also drive ecotourism growth through infrastructural development, the Federal Government of Nigeria of is set to partially commercialise 3 of its National Park Service (NPS).
Conservator General, National Park Service, Nigeria, Dr. Ibrahim M. Goni who made the disclosure at the 14th Seven Wonders of Nigeria webinar at the weekend while making a presentation on national parks in the country said the 3 parks include: National Parks Cross River, Gashaka Gumti and Kainji Lake adding that they have been chosen as pilot scheme with a transaction advisor appointed to guide the process.
The conservator General also disclosed that the park is set to construct a hotel resort at its headquarters in Abjua for the comfort of tourist visiting its premise.
Goni who was represented by Assistant Conservator General, Yakubu Kolo stated that parks in the country generated over 41 million from tourism activists from 2017 to 2019 and received 29, 969 influx of tourists in the same period.
According to Goni the seven National Parks in the Country have beautiful landscapes and diverse scenic ecosystems that provide unique opportunities for local and international tourists to experience active outdoor recreation, inspiration and tranquility.
He stated that the parks in the country could do more with increased government funding to improve on its infrastructures across the country.
The Conservator General’s presentation reads:
ECOTOURISM IN NIGERIA
A Presentation by: Dr. Ibrahim M. Goni,
Conservator General, National Park Service, Nigeria
At a Zoom Conference by
7 Wonders of Nigeria
on Sunday, 4th October, 2020
INTRODUCTION
. The National Park Service is the foremost organization charged with the responsibility of conserving biodiversity in Nigeria.
. There are seven (7) National Parks in Nigeria covering a total land area of 22,000km2 representing about 3% of the country’s total land mass.
. National Parks play immense roles in medicine, research, education, agriculture, tourism, spiritualism and are critical components in the achievement of the Sustainable
Development Goals.
ATTRACTIONS
. The 7 National Parks in the Country have beautiful landscapes and diverse scenic ecosystems that provide unique opportunities for local and international tourists to experience active outdoor recreation, inspiration and tranquility.
. Apart from generating revenue to the federation, the tourism direction of the Park Service also provides meaningful and realistic opportunities for the local communities to engage in and benefit from ecotourism.
. Modest accommodation and recreational facilities exist in most of the National Parks for visitors to engage in wilderness experience and game viewing as well as sport fishing, boating, bird watching etc.
ACCESSIBILTY
. Most of the National Parks are accessible by road and air.
. Except for Chad Basin and Kamuku National Parks all the Parks are open to activities.
TOURIST INFLUX FROM 2017 – 2019
. 2017: 8,111
. 2018: 10,371
. 2019: 11,487
EFFORTS IN ENHANCING TOURISM IN THE PARKS
. Security (Joint operations and Intelligence sharing with Sister Agencies)
. Tourist Facilities (accommodation, Park viewing vehicles, catering services, sick bays, etc).
. Media Advocacy (inter-personal and mass media marketing and promotion efforts, involvement of mass media for public enlightenment)
. Partial Commercialisation
Three (3) National Parks namely Cross River, Gashaka Gumti and Kainji Lake chosen as pilot scheme with a transaction advisor appointed to guide the process.
CHALLENGES
• Insecurity (in most parts of the country)
• Poor Park Infrastructure (accessibility to and within the Parks).
• Lack of Private Sector involvement.
• Poor domestic tourism by Nigerians.
• Poor communication facilities in Parks.
• Low manpower development.
• Lack of disposable income to embark on leisure travel.
•Lack of political will to enhance conservation and foster ecotourism development as alternative source of government revenue.
WAY FORWARD
. The present effort to improve security should be enhanced in terms of insurgency and banditry downgrading and good road network development both inside and outside the Parks
. Government should make deliberate concerted effort to develop National Parks in Nigeria to bring ecotourism on stream as an additional source of government revenue especially now that so many nations are gradually disengaging from the use of fossil fuel.
. The National Parks are open for private sector participation especially through the partial commercialization programme of the Federal Government.
. Spirited individuals and organisations can also come to the aid of the National Park Service by donating projects and programmes that will foster conservation and ecotourism in our National Parks.
. All of these distil to Improved funding.
