The Minister of Environment Balarabe Abbas Lawal has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment of protecting the nation’s priceless natural treasure.
The Minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Salihu Aminu Usman, made this known at the 2026 World Wildlife Day Celebration held recently in Abuja, with the theme: “Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihood.”
According to Balarabe,this event aims to promote wildlife conservation, environmental awareness, and sustainable tourism through educational programs and public engagement activities.
Balarabe disclosed further that efforts to protect and learn from the natural world extend beyond a single command, emphasizing the importance of the National Park Service (NPS), in preserving biodiversity and environmental heritage.
The Minister stated: ” the Federal Government’s Forest Guard Initiative is already complementing the efforts of the NPS by reducing forest and wildlife crimes while fostering a safer environment around Nigeria’s national parks,”.
In his opening remarks, The Conservator General of the NPS, Musa Ibrahim Goni, said the 2026 World Wildlife Day celebration compelled the society to look beyond the majestic elephants and roaring lions, though they remain symbols of conservation, stressed the need to also recognize the quiet, green plant species and ecosystems that have sustained communities for generations.
Goni disclosed that the priceless heritage is now facing serious threats, including habitat loss, unsustainable harvesting, climate change, and the erosion of traditional knowledge, adding that these challenges pose clear and present dangers to biodiversity as well as fauna and flora.
He explained that this year’s theme underscores the urgent need for collaboration, particularly among the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The Managing Director, ICherry Travels and Global Concept Limited, Dr. Charity Azunna Akpamgbo in her welcome address disclosed that World Wildlife Day today is not just a date on the calendar but was converged to honour shared responsibility as stewards of the earth and to remind us that our survival is directly linked to the survival of the Wildlife species.
Dr. Charity expressed her deep appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Park Service for passionate collaboration with ICHERRY Travels, starting that a public-private partnership could be public/private sector assets.
She therefore requested for deeper collaboration to safeguard environment and preserve flora and fauna.
It would recalled that WWD is celebrated on 3rd March of every year as a day of signing of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species *(CITES)* in 1973, a critical agreement in protecting Endangered Species.
Ibrahim Haruna
Director, Information and Public Relations
25th April,2026
