According to Wild Africa, Nigeria’s elephant population has plunged from an estimated 1,200–1,500 animals in 1991 to only about 300–400 today.
Nigeria’s worsening wildlife crisis has come under renewed scrutiny following the premiere of Wild Africa, with the new pan-African series exposing the country’s loss of more than 70 per cent of its elephant population and its emergence as a major global transit hub for illegal ivory and pangolin scale trafficking.
The 13-part wildlife conservation series premiered on Saturday, August 15, 2026, brings the continent’s growing wildlife crisis into Nigerian homes while documenting efforts by conservationists, rangers, veterinarians and communities to protect endangered species.
According to Wild Africa, Nigeria’s elephant population has plunged from an estimated 1,200–1,500 animals in 1991 to only about 300–400 today.
The conservation organisation said that Nigeria has also become a major transit route for illegal wildlife products, with the country accounting for nearly a quarter of seized ivory globally and more than half of global pangolin scale seizures between 2016 and 2019.
