South-West/Niger Delta Forest Project

15/08/2026

Seeing the endangered Sclater’s guenon (Cercopithecus sclateri) appear on our camera traps at our relatively new project sites is so enrinching. This is a massive conservation milestone. Sclater’s guenon is a rare primate endemic strictly to the unique forest ecosystems situated between the River Niger and the Cross River in Nigeria.

This species does not exist within any officially protected areas. Currently, its survival relies almost entirely on isolated community-led efforts, where specific local populations are protected as sacred by traditional folklore in south-eastern parts of the country.

Because they face severe, ongoing threats from habitat loss and hunting, finding them at our new sites is incredibly significant. Our project expands the conservation footprint for this species beyond those limited traditional sanctuaries, creating vital new data and protections. Safeguarding this primate means securing the delicate, fragmented ecosystems that local communities rely on. It is also a powerful reminder that our conservation efforts are now far-reaching and increasingly impactful not just for the irreplaceable wildlife, but for the local communities across the region who coexist with them.

31/07/2026

Today is World Rangers Day, and we are taking a moment to stand in solidarity with the men and women who serve on the front lines of conservation.

Being a ranger is not just a job; it is a profound commitment. Every single day, rangers step into the wild often facing harsh terrain and unsafe environment/situations. They leave their families behind for weeks at a time to ensure that our planet's most vital ecosystems and wildlife have a future.

They are our boots on the ground. They are the protectors of biodiversity and the unsung heroes of climate action. To our incredible team of ranger teams from the edges of SW Nigeria to the coast of Nigeria where we work and to every ranger across the globe: Thank you!!! Thank you for every patrol, every sleepless night, every drop of sweat, and the immense sacrifices you make to keep our forests standing and our wildlife safe. Your bravery is the shield that protects our planet’s inheritance.

Join us in celebrating them today. Drop a 💚 or a message of gratitude in the comments below to show your support!

31/07/2026

5 years of impactful conservation actions. 7 days of celebration. 1 vibrant community.

We just wrapped up an unforgettable week-long celebration marking the 5th anniversary of the Ise Forest Conservation Area! From the elders who hold the history of our land to the youth who represent its future, we made sure every single person was part of this milestone.

We literally put smiles on the faces of the Ise community through a high-impact medical outreach. The energy kept climbing with the thrilling second edition of the Akinluaduse Football Tournament, and we crowned it all with a Stakeholders Gala and Award for Excellence.

For the grand finale, our dedicated team traded their rugged field uniforms for beautiful, traditional Aso Ebi (a typical yoruba culture of syncing outfits during a major celebration). Looking back, every bit of planning was worth it.

Hearty cheers to every stakeholder, every hand on deck, and every drop of sweat that has gone into preserving this vital ecosystem over the last five years!

31/07/2026

5 years of impactful conservation actions. 7 days of celebration. 1 vibrant community.

We just wrapped up an unforgettable week-long celebration marking the 5th anniversary of the Ise Forest Conservation Area! From the elders who hold the history of our land to the youth who represent its future, we made sure every single person was part of this milestone.

We literally put smiles on the faces of the Ise community through a high-impact medical outreach. The energy kept climbing with the thrilling second edition of the Akinluaduse Football Tournament, and we crowned it all with a Stakeholders Gala and Award for Excellence.

For the grand finale, our dedicated team traded their rugged field uniforms for beautiful, traditional Aso Ebi (our Yoruba celebratory uniform). Looking back, every bit of planning was worth it.

Hearty cheers to every stakeholder, every hand on deck, and every drop of sweat that has gone into preserving this vital ecosystem over the last five years!

27/07/2026

, marked every year on July 26, reminds us of one of nature's best gifts to humanity. That is why we cannot miss an opportunity to show you how our interventions in coastal ecosystems are urgent.

This is the coastal region of the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA) in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The Niger Delta has the largest mangrove ecosystem in Africa and the third largest in the world, spanning millions of hectares of vital estuarine extensions. The lives of millions of people and entire communities are tied directly to these forests. BUT aggressive coastal erosion and devastating ocean surges, coupled with overexploitation, threaten that way of life, whereas the themselves stand as their only line of defense. For their sake and yours, we have to protect these mangroves. BECAUSE Mangroves absorb up to four times more carbon than tropical rainforests. The Niger Delta's estuaries are vital marine nurseries. When these roots disappear, global fish stocks collapse, disrupting oceanic food chains far beyond Nigeria’s borders.

As the ocean is claiming more land each year, coastal communities hold the keys to reverse these threats, not with more man-made structures that exacerbate the dangers, but with nature-based solutions.

17/07/2026

Unplanned, Unscripted, but Perfectly Documented. 🌲🐒

How do you track the evolution of a conservation story? Sometimes, you don’t have to weave the narrative yourself, the global press does it for you.

As we continue our 50-day countdown to the 5th anniversary of the Ise Forest Conservation Area, we are looking back at how Mongabay News captured our timeline. Without planning it, Mongabay has spent over a decade documenting our exact trajectory from crisis to conservation triumph

Their archives tell the story of a 12-year transformation through three distinct chapters:

#2013 | The Threat: They exposed how rampant illegal ma*****na cultivation and logging were actively destroying Nigeria's forests and pushing our chimpanzees to the brink .

#2020 | The Turning Point: They broke the news of the governmental approval for a new conservation zone to protect the most threatened chimpanzees in the world.

#2025 | The Triumph: They published one of the ultimate proof of progress, camera trap footage capturing the first-ever glimpses of these genetically distinct chimpanzees thriving in their newly protected habitat.

Journalism like this does not just report facts; it builds an undeniable, permanent record of progressive impact. It proves that sustained local action, backed by legal protection, actually works.

Trace our 12-year evolution directly through the Mongabay archive:
Read the 2013 Crisis Report https://lnkd.in/d2mKRNje
Read the 2020 Declaration Story https://lnkd.in/gyXUWtg
Read the 2025 Camera Trap Discovery https://lnkd.in/dcF-Y2wR

The countdown continues!

16/07/2026

The fight for survival in the Ise Forest Area.

How do you save a species on the absolute brink of extinction? You start with relentless leadership, local trust, and a refusal to back down.

As we count down to the 5th anniversary of our landmark conservation milestone, we are kicking off the Ise conservation journey by spotlighting our project leader, Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh, Founder and Director of the SW/Niger Delta Forest Project. This film was shot in the first few months of the conservation efforts in Ise. Curated by WildAid, this powerful spotlight video helps you understand the underlying purpose for the establishment of the Ise Forest Conservation Area in Ekiti State.

This film is not just an overview; it is the perfect foundation for the story we will be telling over the next 48 days. It shows exactly why a legally protected area was so urgently required.

🎬 Watch the full WildAid feature here: https://lnkd.in/dU3Ft5Qk

15/07/2026

On February 4, 2021, we signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ekiti State Government, which created a co-management conservation approach for Ise forest. Just months later, on July 29, 2021, a protected area was officially gazetted. As we approach the 5th anniversary of this landmark conservation milestone, we are shifting our focus from numeric data to real-life impact. This journey has never been just about hectares of land; it is about the people, the wildlife, and the communities thriving with it.

To honour this journey, we are launched an unprecedented countdown: 😁 50 Days to the 5th Anniversary.

We shared:
- Visuals: Footage and photos of the protected area's biodiversity and conservation efforts.

- Raw Testimonies: First-hand accounts from rangers, community leaders, and conservationists.

- Personalized Stories: Deep dives into the real, human-centric triumphs of this project.

This is a celebration of what happens when government vision aligns with community action. We want you to see the true heartbeat behind this conservation story. Follow our page and turn on notifications as we reshare some days of this 50-day countdown.

15/07/2026

Hello Facebook, catch up on our countdown to the 5th Anniversary marking the official gazette of the Ise Forest Conervation Area - Let's go

14/07/2026

A Global Spotlight on Our Journey!

We are temporarily pausing our 50-day countdown marking the 5th year anniversary of the Ise Forest Conservation Area. The momentum building around our work has just reached an incredible new peak, and we need to share this moment with all of you!

We are incredibly proud to highlight a recently released film showcasing our Founder and Director, Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh. Rachel has been named a Laureate of the prestigious 2026 Rolex Awards for Enterprise! The featured film, "Rolex presents: Rachel Ikemeh – Defenders of the Delta," has already captured the world's attention with over . It chronicles her deep, 12-year journey working in the region and our organisation's groundbreaking work across the critical Niger Delta landscape and seascape.

From helping local communities take full ownership and responsibility of the natural ecosystems on their indigenous lands to mapping new frontiers in the ocean needing conservation interventions, this film captures the raw grit and passion behind our mission. It also highlights our historic steps toward establishing a locally managed marine area, which invariably means Nigeria's first-ever Marine Protected Area.

Watch the viral film here to see the global impact of our community-led conservation model: https://youtu.be/LPvCGaf7YXc?si=7K4WV4EHWQuNohn7

We will resume our anniversary countdown very soon, but for now, let’s celebrate how far this vision has traveled. Thank you for standing with us on this journey!

Trailblazing Nigerian conservationist Rachel Ikemeh is a Laureate o...