Socioeconomic Impact of Ecotourism on Communities Adjacent to Gashaka-Gumti National Park

The relationship between ecotourism development and local socioeconomic well-being is a subject of ongoing policy relevance in Nigerian conservation contexts. This study examines the socioeconomic impacts of ecotourism activities on communities adjacent to Gashaka-Gumti National Park in Taraba State, within Nigeria's North East geopolitical zone. The park's diverse ecosystems and populations of Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees and hippos have attracted a growing number of domestic and international researchers and tourists. Household surveys were administered to 200 respondents across four communities, supplemented by interviews with park rangers, local guides, and community leaders. Data were analyzed to assess changes in income, employment, and access to social services attributed to ecotourism. Results indicate that ecotourism provides direct employment to approximately 8 percent of the working-age population in proximate communities, primarily through guiding, hospitality, and craft sales. Indirect benefits, including demand for local food produce and transport services, benefit a broader segment of the community. However, elite capture of tourism revenues by local leaders and politically connected individuals was reported by multiple respondents, limiting the distributional equity of benefits. The study recommends the establishment of transparent community benefit-sharing mechanisms, formalization of the local guide economy through certification and cooperatives, and engagement of women and youth as priority beneficiaries. Keywords: ecotourism, socioeconomic impact, Gashaka-Gumti, North East Nigeria, community benefit-sharing