Nigeria’s vultures on the brink as NCF sounds alarm over illegal trade, killing – EnviroNews

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As the world marks International Vulture Awareness Day 2026, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) is calling for urgent and coordinated action to save Nigeria’s rapidly declining vulture populations, warning that illegal killing and trade in vulture parts are pushing the country’s vultures toward extinction.

Of the seven vulture species found in Nigeria, four are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List: The Hooded Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Rüppell’s Vulture, and White-headed Vulture. The situation is said to be most dire for the Hooded Vulture, Necrosyrtes monachus, once a common sight in Nigerian cities and abattoirs. The species has reportedly declined by an estimated 95% since the early 2000s. Research indicates that Nigeria has become a major hub for the regional trade. An estimated 73% of vulture carcasses traded across West Africa pass through Nigerian markets.

“The crisis facing vultures is not happening somewhere far away. Nigeria is at the centre of this regional conservation challenge, including the illegal trade in vulture parts,” said Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director General of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation. “We cannot continue to lose these birds to poisoning, illegal killing and trafficking and expect our ecosystems to remain healthy.”

The West African Vulture Conservation Action Plan (WAVCAP) identifies Nigeria and Benin as key hubs for cross-border vulture trading. Cases of vulture killing for belief-based use have been reported across the 16 countries covered by the plan. Conservationists say the transboundary nature of the trade means protecting Nigeria’s vultures will require stronger cooperation between countries, law enforcement agencies, conservation groups and local communities.

Often misunderstood because of their association with death, vultures provide a critical ecological service. By rapidly consuming carcasses and organic waste, they help keep the environment clean and limit the spread of diseases from dead animals to humans and wildlife. Across Africa, vulture populations have declined by between 80% and 97% over the past five decades, with several species now facing extinction.

NCF is urging the Federal Government to prioritize three immediate actions:

1. Strengthen enforcement of existing wildlife protection laws and intensify monitoring of markets involved in the illegal vulture trade.
2. Implement the adopted West African Vulture Conservation Action Plan (WAVCAP)
3. Establish Vulture Safe Zones and enforce measures to prevent poisoning, while protecting key feeding and breeding areas.

The Foundation believes these actions must be backed by collaboration among government agencies, conservation organisations, traditional medicine practitioners, communities, and neighbouring countries – particularly Niger, Benin and Cameroon. NCF notes that tackling the crisis requires action across the entire chain, from research and monitoring to demand reduction.

The Foundation has already engaged traditional medicine practitioners to promote understanding of vultures’ ecological role and to encourage plant-based alternatives for belief-based practices. NCF is also conducting satellite tagging, population surveys, conservation education, and community engagement to map threats and build local support for vulture protection.

“We are calling on Nigerians to reject the purchase or use of illegally sourced vulture parts, avoid patronizing wildlife traders, and report suspected wildlife crimes to the relevant authorities,” Dr. Onoja added.

NCF reaffirms its commitment to working with government, communities, researchers, traditional institutions, law enforcement agencies, conservation organisations and other stakeholders to halt the decline of Nigeria’s vultures and secure a future in which these vital birds continue to perform their ecological role across the country.