In the heart of Gashaka Gumti National Park, Nigeria’s largest and most biodiverse national reserve—a silent revolution is unfolding. Here, where the rolling savannahs meet misty mountain peaks, the Africa Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation is rewriting the conservation narrative, placing women at its core.
This shift, as noticed by the WorldClass247News, was vividly illustrated in Toungo Local Government Area of Adamawa State, where the ANI Foundation recently commissioned a Women’s Centre in the northern sector of the park.
The facility stands as a beacon for training, economic empowerment, and community development, especially for women in Adamawa and neighboring Taraba State.
During the unveiling ceremony, 450 women received livelihood support through a program designed not only to improve living conditions but to strengthen the region’s conservation efforts.
According to David Peter, ANI Foundation’s Deputy Project Manager, the initiative is meant to “empower women, promote community resilience, and provide alternative livelihoods to support the conservation of the park.”
The approach highlights a critical understanding: environmental sustainability and women’s empowerment are deeply interconnected. By equipping women with practical skills and resources, the benefits ripple across households, communities, and the park’s ecosystem.
Dr. Mohammed Kabir, Assistant Conservator-General of the National Park Service (NPS), praised ANI’s model, noting its alignment with national goals for conservation and economic transformation.
He pointed to previous ANI-led initiatives like the October 2023 program in Taraba’s Gashaka Local Government Area, which empowered over 1,000 women with vocational tools and agro-processing equipment as examples of successful community-driven development.
Beyond women focused programs, the ANI-NPS partnership has had a broad impact, including the vaccination of over 100,000 cattle and the recruitment of more than 70 local youths as park rangers. These efforts illustrate the Foundation’s holistic strategy of linking environmental protection with human development.
Adamawa State Commissioner for Women’s Affairs, Mrs. Nedo Kafulto, echoed this sentiment, calling the new Women’s Centre a “transformative step” and a model for sustainable development.
Since 2017, ANI has worked to ensure that conservation is not seen as a barrier to progress, but a vehicle for it. Park Conservator Amos D. Hamman underscored the strategy: “By supporting sustainable livelihoods around the park, we foster greater appreciation and protection of our natural heritage.”
For the ANI Foundation, women are not just beneficiaries, they are frontline actors in conservation. Dr. George Okeyoyin, Senior Strategic Adviser at ANI, emphasized this point, saying, “Effective conservation must respect and incorporate the contributions of women.”
That philosophy is echoed by ROSHAN Renewable Energy, ANI’s implementing partner. Managing Director Happy Amos highlighted the success of women’s savings and loan groups in Toungo, which have collectively saved over N30 million in just one year without relying on direct handouts. Instead, the program offers low-interest loans tailored to the entrepreneurial ambitions of local women.
The real world impact is tangible. Grace Emmanuel, a participant, shared that with the support she received, she was able to start a thriving business. “I can now provide for my family and look to the future with hope,” she said.
For Florence Dauda, the transformation is also personal and communal: “We used to envy the women in Gashaka. Today, we are proud to showcase our own products, thanks to ANI Foundation.”
In Gashaka Gumti, women are not just helping protect nature, they are as well shaping the future of conservation itself.By Charles Akpeji