On 16 September 2025, the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) and Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) signed a pivotal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at tightening the country’s response to wildlife crime. The signing took place at NESREA’s Abuja headquarters, with Prof. Innocent Barikor, Director-General of NESREA, and Stephen Carmody, Chief of Investigations of WJC (represented by West & Central Africa’s Regional Manager, Abim Isafiade), putting pen to paper.
The agreement outlines robust cooperation across several fronts: intelligence sharing, forensic and legal support, and enhancing the capacity of the Nigerian Wildlife Law Enforcement Task Force (WLETF). It is crafted to tackle organised trafficking in wildlife, fish, and timber. Barikor noted that the MoU is in line with Nigeria’s obligations under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), and stressed that the country will no longer be a safe transit hub for wildlife criminals.
WJC’s Executive Director, Olivia Swaak-Goldman, added that this partnership will build on existing enforcement successes, such as pangolin scale seizures, arrests, convictions, and broader intelligence-led operations. The collaboration is expected to strengthen legal enforcement, disrupt transnational wildlife syndicates, and safeguard endangered species. Both organisations say that this MoU signifies a shared commitment to preserving Nigeria’s biodiversity for future generations.