Illegal Wildlife Trafficking, International Conservation Conventions, and Nigeria’s Enforcement Obligations

Illegal wildlife trafficking has become one of the most lucrative transnational criminal enterprises globally, generating billions of dollars annually and threatening biodiversity conservation across numerous African countries. Nigeria has been identified by international conservation organizations and law enforcement agencies as both a source country and a significant transhipment hub for illegally trafficked wildlife, including pangolins, elephants, and a range of protected reptile and primate species. As a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Nigeria bears specific international obligations to regulate wildlife trade and enforce anti-trafficking measures. This study, conducted from the perspective of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, examines the gap between Nigeria's CITES commitments and the operational realities of wildlife trafficking enforcement, analyzing legal, institutional, and diplomatic dimensions of the problem between 2020 and 2024. A qualitative methodology is employed, combining documentary analysis of CITES trade data and Nigeria Customs Service seizure records with interviews of wildlife enforcement officers, conservation NGO officials, and international diplomatic liaisons. Environmental diplomacy theory and the literature on transnational environmental crime provide the analytical scaffolding. Findings indicate that Nigeria's CITES implementation is severely constrained by inadequate inter-agency coordination, corruption vulnerabilities within enforcement chains, and insufficient penalties that fail to deter organized trafficking networks. International conservation partnerships have provided training and intelligence support but lack the scale required for systemic change. The study recommends enhanced diplomatic engagement in anti-trafficking coalitions and urgent domestic legislative reforms. Keywords: wildlife trafficking, CITES, conservation diplomacy, Nigeria, transnational crime