Assessment of Stakeholder Participation in National Park Management in South East Nigeria

Stakeholder participation is recognized as a cornerstone of effective protected area governance, ensuring that management decisions reflect diverse interests and generate broader legitimacy. In South East Nigeria, protected area management has historically been characterized by centralized, top-down governance with limited mechanisms for structured stakeholder engagement. This study assesses the scope, quality, and outcomes of stakeholder participation in the management of two forest reserves in Abia State and Ebonyi State, within the South East geopolitical zone. Using a participation quality framework adapted from the International Association for Public Participation, the study evaluates the degree to which local communities, women's groups, traditional rulers, and NGOs are meaningfully included in planning, decision-making, and monitoring processes. Data were collected through document review, stakeholder mapping exercises, and semi-structured interviews with 50 participants drawn from the identified stakeholder groups. Results indicate that while formal consultative meetings are occasionally held, substantive decisions on resource use and benefit-sharing remain the exclusive domain of state forestry officers. Women and youth groups are systematically excluded from formal governance structures. No structured feedback mechanism exists for stakeholders to raise concerns outside of formal meetings. The study recommends the development of inclusive governance protocols for both reserves, investment in stakeholder capacity building, and introduction of a formal grievance and feedback mechanism. Keywords: stakeholder participation, protected area governance, South East Nigeria, forest reserves, inclusive management