By Ayo Ayodele
The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) and Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen Nigeria’s response to organised wildlife crime.
The MoU, signed at NESREA’s headquarters in Abuja by Prof. Innocent Barikor, Director General/CEO of NESREA, and Stephen Carmody, Chief of Investigations at the WJC, establishes a framework for cooperation to combat transnational organised criminal networks trafficking in wildlife, fish, and timber.
The agreement also aims to support the implementation of future programmes that the WJC may provide to NESREA and its partners in the Nigerian Wildlife Law Enforcement Task Force (WLETF), depending on funding and mutual agreement.
This milestone builds on the WJC’s successful partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), which has already resulted in the seizure of more than 25 tonnes of pangolin scales and multiple tonnes of ivory, the arrest of 42 suspects, and 12 convictions — including the first convictions of Vietnamese nationals in Nigeria on wildlife crime charges. In 2025, the partnership also led to the arrest of the first Chinese kingpin in Nigeria for wildlife trafficking. This MoU will enable the WJC to further support Nigeria and will complement our existing partnership with NCS.
“Among all of the WJC’s successes, nowhere has our mission come to life more powerfully than in Nigeria. Working in partnership with the NCS, we helped transform the country from the world’s largest hub for pangolin trafficking into a global enforcement success story. This new MoU with NESREA builds on that legacy. By expanding our partnerships to include NESREA and the Nigerian Wildlife Law Enforcement Task Force, we can sustain and deepen this transformation — ensuring that Nigeria continues to set the benchmark for intelligence-led enforcement.”, said Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director of the Wildlife Justice Commission.
“This MoU aligns perfectly with Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and demonstrates our government’s determination to protect biodiversity, conserve threatened species, and ensure sustainable managed wildlife resources for future generations.”, stated Prof. Innocent Barikor, Director General of NESREA.
“The results in Nigeria prove what is possible when enforcement is strategic, intelligence-led, and focused on the right targets. Between 2021 and 2024, 93% of pangolin seizures involved WJC support — collapsing trafficking routes, fracturing syndicates, and halting major shipments for over three years. This MoU with NESREA builds on that momentum to further disrupt the organised criminal networks driving the illegal trade in wildlife, fish, and timber. Our objective is to dismantle the criminal infrastructure itself and hold traffickers to account.”, added Swaak-Goldman.“
“NESREA is committed to working hand-in-hand with the WJC to ensure that Nigeria does not serve as a safe haven or transit hub for wildlife traffickers. Together, we will make it increasingly difficult for those who profit from the destruction of our natural heritage.”, added Barikor.
The MoU will strengthen intelligence-sharing, enhance forensic and legal collaboration, and support future programmes under the Nigerian Wildlife Law Enforcement Task Force. It reflects a shared commitment by NESREA and the WJC to disrupt wildlife crime, dismantle transnational criminal networks, and ensure that organised crime is no longer driving species to extinction.