Ecological Footprint of Ecotourism Facilities in Nigerian National Parks

The ecological footprint of tourism infrastructure within national park boundaries is a recognized but underexamined source of biodiversity impact, particularly in developing country contexts where construction and operational standards for protected area facilities are weakly regulated. In Nigeria, several national parks maintain accommodation, catering, and vehicle maintenance facilities within or adjacent to sensitive ecological zones, with unknown cumulative environmental impacts. This study assesses the ecological footprint of tourism facilities at three Nigerian national parks, specifically Yankari Game Reserve (North East), Okomu National Park (South South), and Gashaka-Gumti National Park (North East), using the Ecological Footprint Analysis methodology adapted for tourism infrastructure contexts. Water and energy consumption records, waste generation data, and land occupation measurements were collected from facility management records and direct measurement. Results indicate that per-visitor ecological footprint values at Nigerian parks are broadly comparable to international benchmarks, but total footprint impacts are concentrated at a small number of facilities operating without waste treatment systems. Fuel-based power generation is the largest single contributor to facility footprints across all sites. The study identifies practical footprint reduction measures including solar power conversion, greywater recycling, and composting of organic waste. Certification of facility operations under a national green lodge standard is recommended as an incentive mechanism. These findings inform sustainability auditing frameworks for the National Park Service of Nigeria. Keywords: ecological footprint, tourism facilities, national parks, Nigeria, sustainable operations