Sustainable Mangrove Management in Nigeria: Challenges, Carbon Potential, and Future Directions

Nigeria's mangroves are among the most valuable ecosystems in Africa, but they face severe degradation from oil pollution, deforestation, and weak governance. A new case study from the Commonwealth details a multi-disciplinary approach to restore over 3,000 hectares of mangroves across 10 communities in Ogoniland. The project combines ecological science, policy analysis, and community engagement, and identifies over 21,723 restorable hectares of high-value blue carbon ecosystems. The study estimates Nigeria's mangroves could generate up to $49 billion in carbon credit revenues over 40 years under best-case scenarios. It also highlights that over 50% of households in the region derive significant income from mangrove resources. The project recommends developing a National Blue Carbon Strategy and establishing a National Mangrove Park to align restoration with the Paris Agreement and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This methodology is transferable to other mangrove-rich regions in coastal West Africa. The case study emphasizes inclusive governance, community empowerment, and climate finance integration as key to long-term conservation success.