Assessment of Wetland Degradation and Conservation Priorities in the Kebbi Floodplains

The floodplain wetlands of Kebbi State in northwestern Nigeria support exceptional waterbird diversity, artisanal fisheries, and agropastoral livelihoods, yet systematic assessment of their ecological condition and conservation priority status is absent from the management literature for this region. This study assesses the extent of wetland degradation, ecological condition, and conservation priorities in the Kebbi floodplain complex, encompassing portions of the Rima and Kebbi Rivers. Wetland extent and cover type were mapped using Sentinel-2 imagery and ground-truth verification at forty sites. Ecological condition was assessed using a rapid wetland assessment protocol measuring water quality, vegetation intactness, hydrological connectivity, and wildlife presence indicators. Waterbird surveys were conducted along fixed-length boat transects during three survey events spanning the wet-dry transition. Stakeholder interviews with 65 fishing household heads documented perceived ecological change and wetland use patterns. Results identified 312,000 hectares of actively functioning wetland, down from an estimated 420,000 hectares in 2010, representing a 26% reduction. Agricultural conversion and diversion of irrigation canals were the primary drivers of loss. The most ecologically intact wetlands were concentrated in areas inaccessible to vehicle-mounted pumping systems, highlighting infrastructure access as a key vulnerability factor. Globally threatened bird species including the Ferruginous Duck and Black-crowned Crane were recorded in intact areas. The study recommends four priority wetland parcels for designation as Ramsar candidate sites and proposes a community-based wetland monitoring programme for Kebbi State. Keywords: wetland degradation, Kebbi floodplains, waterbird diversity, conservation priorities, Ramsar