As Nigeria seeks to expand its blue economy and meet global biodiversity conservation targets, marine conservation experts have stressed that meaningful progress will depend largely on how effectively coastal communities are integrated into environmental governance and marine resource management.
Speaking to Punch Healthwise on the growing global recognition of community-led conservation, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Dr. Joseph Onoja, said evidence from Nigeria and other parts of the world shows that conservation efforts are far more successful when local communities are treated as partners rather than passive beneficiaries.
According to him, coastal communities across Nigeria’s Niger Delta and Atlantic coastline possess generations of ecological knowledge that remain critical to protecting marine biodiversity, sustaining fisheries and addressing emerging environmental threats.
“Community-led marine conservation is absolutely critical to the success of biodiversity conservation in Nigeria’s coastal and marine environment.
“The reality is that local fishing communities are not merely resource users; they are daily custodians of the ecosystems upon which their livelihoods depend. Because they interact with these environments every day, they are often better positioned than anyone else to understand changes occurring within them,” Onoja said.
He explained that many coastal communities have developed sophisticated traditional knowledge systems over generations, enabling them to monitor seasonal changes, identify breeding grounds, understand fish migration patterns and recognise environmentally sensitive habitats.
According to him, such indigenous knowledge should complement scientific research and be incorporated into national conservation frameworks.
“If you look across Nigeria’s coastal belt and the Niger Delta states, communities know when tides are high or low, where specific species can be found and which areas are environmentally sensitive. Scientists can then build on this knowledge with empirical data and technical analysis,” he said.
The conservation expert noted that where communities are actively involved in planning and managing conservation initiatives, compliance levels tend to improve significantly.
He cited experiences from various coastal conservation programmes where local participation has resulted in stronger protection for mangroves, estuaries, fish breeding grounds and other critical marine habitats.
“Where communities are actively involved in conservation planning and management, there is usually stronger compliance and better protection of critical ecosystems. But when communities are excluded, resistance often follows and conservation efforts become difficult to sustain,” he added.
Onoja warned that many government-led interventions still adopt a top-down approach that overlooks local realities and weakens trust between authorities and coastal populations.
“Many governments still approach conservation from a top-down perspective. Yet evidence from around the world shows that ecosystems tend to be healthier when local communities are actively involved in governance and management. Excluding them creates distrust and weakens conservation outcomes.”
He noted that beyond environmental protection, coastal ecosystems also play a significant role in supporting food security and livelihoods for millions of Nigerians.
According to him, sustainable fisheries management cannot be achieved without the support of fishing communities who depend directly on marine resources for survival.
“These communities comprise millions of people whose livelihoods depend on fisheries and marine resources. Therefore, conservation is not only about biodiversity; it is also about food security, economic resilience and social stability,” he said.
The NCF Executive Director further linked community participation to Nigeria’s commitment to the global “30 by 30” target, which seeks to protect 30 per cent of the world’s land and marine areas by 2030.
He argued that Nigeria would struggle to achieve its conservation obligations unless local communities are actively involved as co-creators and leaders of environmental solutions.
“As we work towards the global 30 by 30 targets, any meaningful progress must include local communities not as observers or bystanders, but as active participants in designing and implementing conservation strategies,” he said.
Blue economy must prioritise sustainability
Speaking further on Nigeria’s emerging blue economy agenda, Onoja said the country’s vast marine and coastal resources offer significant opportunities for economic growth, job creation, food security and climate resilience.
However, he warned that the long-term sustainability of the blue economy would depend on whether policymakers are able to balance economic ambitions with environmental protection.
“Nigeria’s blue economy ambition presents enormous opportunities for growth, employment, food security and climate resilience. But the sustainability of these opportunities will depend on how effectively policymakers pursue them while leveraging indigenous and local knowledge,” he said.
According to him, one of the most important lessons policymakers can learn from coastal communities is the principle of resource stewardship rather than resource exploitation.
“The coastal communities have observed these ecosystems for generations. They understand the patterns and rhythms of nature. One of the most important lessons they teach us is stewardship using resources responsibly while ensuring they remain available for future generations.”
Onoja also highlighted the importance of local monitoring systems in strengthening environmental management.
He noted that fishers are often the first to detect changes in fish populations, water quality and habitat conditions long before scientific surveys are conducted.
“Many fishers can tell you which species were abundant years ago but are becoming scarce today. They can identify environmental changes long before they appear in official reports. Policymakers must recognise the value of this local monitoring and integrate it into decision-making processes,” he said.
The conservation expert further emphasised the ecological and economic importance of mangrove forests, describing them as natural infrastructure that protects coastal communities from erosion, flooding and climate impacts.
“Mangroves are not just habitats to be exploited. They are economic and ecological assets. They serve as nature’s defence against coastal erosion while supporting fisheries and biodiversity. Replacing these natural systems with expensive artificial infrastructure is often neither practical nor sustainable.”
He called for policies that ensure equitable benefit-sharing for local communities, arguing that conservation initiatives are more likely to succeed when communities see tangible social and economic benefits.
“Whatever policies we develop, there must be equitable benefits for local communities. Without that, implementation becomes difficult and long-term success remains uncertain.”
Onoja also advocated a co-management approach involving government agencies, local communities, civil society organisations and private sector actors.
According to him, inclusive governance remains one of the most effective ways of balancing economic development with environmental sustainability.
“It is important to bring together local communities, government institutions, civil society and private sector actors in the decision-making process. When everyone is carried along, it becomes easier to build partnerships that balance economic growth with biodiversity conservation.”
He stressed that while modern technology, investment and infrastructure would remain important for developing Nigeria’s blue economy, indigenous knowledge should not be ignored.
“The future of Nigeria’s blue economy should not be built solely on modern technology and investment. It must also be grounded in the knowledge, experience and stewardship of local communities that have lived with these ecosystems for generations.
“The combination of science, sound policy and indigenous knowledge provides the most credible pathway towards achieving both economic growth and marine biodiversity conservation.”
As Nigeria continues to pursue economic opportunities in fisheries, maritime transport, coastal tourism and offshore industries, experts say the challenge will be ensuring that development does not come at the expense of the ecosystems and communities that sustain the country’s coastal economy.
By Dare Akogun
This story was produced as part of the 2026 Our Ocean Conference Fellowship organized by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network’
