To restore Nigeria’s shrinking forests and deepen the country’s green footprint, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has announced plans to replicate the iconic Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC) in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This landmark decision, disclosed during a high-level dialogue in Lagos, is poised to usher in unprecedented environmental, economic, and social transformation across the nation.
The announcement was made by Chief Philip Asiodu CFR, CON, President of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the NCF, whose address was delivered by Hon. Justice (Mrs.) R.I.B. Adebiyi, Chairperson of the National Executive Council, during the Foundation’s 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM). The event, held both physically and virtually, brought together stakeholders, government representatives, development partners, and conservation advocates from across the country.
Established in 1990 and supported by Chevron Nigeria Limited, the Lekki Conservation Centre stands as a national icon of biodiversity preservation and ecotourism. Nestled on 78 hectares of lush terrain in Lagos’ Lekki Peninsula, the centre features Africa’s longest canopy walkway and is home to diverse flora and fauna including the Mona monkey and endangered tortoise species.
According to Chief Asiodu, the national replication of the LCC is part of NCF’s intensified drive under the Green Recovery Nigeria (GRN) initiative to achieve 25% forest cover by 2047. He noted that work is already underway to launch the first replication in the FCT, as advanced discussions with relevant stakeholders are ongoing.
“The Lekki Conservation Centre is more than a tourist site—it is a living classroom, a biodiversity haven, and a sustainable development model,” said Asiodu. “By replicating it across Nigeria, we are investing in our environment, creating jobs, and securing a healthier future for generations to come.”
The move to establish LCC-like centres nationwide holds far-reaching implications beyond the environment. With Nigeria battling rising unemployment, insecurity, and rural-urban migration, this initiative could become a catalyst for inclusive development and national cohesion.
NCF’s current projects have already created over 7,500 direct and indirect green jobs, with more than 11,000 beneficiaries trained through various capacity-building programmes. A national LCC network could multiply these figures, providing local employment opportunities for park rangers, tour guides, artisans, researchers, horticulturists, and conservation educators.
In line with its community-first approach, NCF integrates livelihood support into its ecosystem restoration programmes. In Maja-Kura, Yobe State, the Foundation drilled a borehole alongside tree planting—improving water access in one of Nigeria’s most climate-vulnerable regions. A replicated LCC model will bring similar interventions to underserved communities, reducing rural poverty and boosting resilience.
Ecotourism is a booming industry globally. With the LCC in Lagos attracting thousands of local and international visitors annually, states stand to earn significant revenue from tourism, hotel stays, local craft sales, and other spinoff enterprises. For tourism-starved states, this could unlock new economic frontiers.
A key feature of LCC is its Nature Conservation Clubs, which engage schoolchildren and youth in environmental stewardship. Replicating such clubs across Nigeria could nurture a generation of eco-conscious leaders and innovators.
By expanding forest cover and restoring degraded landscapes, the nationwide LCC project will play a critical role in carbon sequestration, mitigating climate change, and shielding Nigeria from desert encroachment—especially in the Sahel and northern zones. This aligns with the federal government’s pledge to plant 20 billion trees and restore Nigeria’s green belt.
To actualize the ambitious project, Chief Asiodu called for broad-based support from state governments, the private sector, NGOs, and individual philanthropists.
“Creating a healthy environment is not the job of a few, but a shared national responsibility,” he said, stressing NCF’s goal of becoming a mass-membership organization with millions of Nigerians joining the movement.
In her remarks, Justice Adebiyi highlighted the Foundation’s newly launched Strategic Action Plan (SAP), a six-year roadmap aimed at scaling up conservation impact, deepening policy advocacy, and promoting sustainability-linked livelihoods.
Also speaking at the AGM, NCF’s Director General, Dr. Joseph Onoja, expressed readiness to collaborate more strategically with the federal government to implement its 20-billion-tree pledge. He revealed that in 2024 alone, NCF planted 184,000 trees across Nigeria, while adopting new technology to enhance conservation monitoring and transparency.
“Despite persistent challenges like illegal logging, inadequate funding, and worsening climate events, we are undeterred. Technology is now at the heart of our conservation strategy,” Dr. Onoja said.
The replication of the Lekki Conservation Centre across Nigeria is not merely an environmental gesture—it is a socioeconomic blueprint for inclusive development, climate resilience, and national renewal. As Nigeria stands at the crossroads of ecological crisis and opportunity, this initiative provides a unifying platform to restore the land, empower communities, and reimagine a greener, more prosperous future.
Indeed, as NCF and its partners forge ahead, the question is no longer whether it can be done—but how soon every Nigerian state can proudly boast of its own Lekki Conservation Centre.
Reporting by Innocent Onoh