Wild Africa Spotlights Nigeria’s Fight To Save Endangered Species

Wild Africa, a Pan-African conservation communications organisation, has unveiled a new television series highlighting Nigeria’s efforts to protect endangered species and preserve the country’s dwindling wildlife population.

The 13-part magazine-style series, titled Wild Africa, premieres on Channels Television on Saturday, August 15, 2026, bringing conservation stories from across the continent to Nigerian audiences.

The series, created specifically for African audiences, seeks to entertain and educate viewers while raising awareness about the urgent need to protect Africa’s wildlife and natural habitats.

Produced in Cape Town, South Africa, by Wild Africa, with support from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Tammy Estrada Strome Foundation, the programme combines short documentaries with celebrity wildlife experiences, interviews and studio segments.

The programme will air new episodes weekly on Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. WAT on DStv and 8:30 p.m. WAT, with repeat broadcasts on Channel 420 on DStv on Sundays at 7:00 a.m., Mondays at 2:30 p.m. and Fridays at 12:30 a.m.

It will also be broadcast on terrestrial television on UHF Channel 39 on Sundays at 2:30 p.m., Mondays at 4:30 a.m. and Fridays at 2:30 p.m. In the United Kingdom, the series will air on Sky UK, Channel 515.

The series is hosted by Nigerian wildlife veterinarian, Dr Mark Ofua; South African freediver and ocean advocate, Zandile Ndhlovu; and Zimbabwean television presenter, Rumbie Takawira.

Across 13 episodes, Wild Africa takes viewers across the continent to meet conservationists and communities working to protect some of Africa’s most threatened species.

The stories include sea turtle rescues in Nigeria, elephants in Kenya alongside Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, the rare Cross River gorilla, community rangers protecting desert rhinos in Namibia, Rwanda’s mountain gorillas and bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The series also places a strong focus on Nigeria’s conservation challenges, including efforts to protect the country’s dwindling forest elephant population, rescue manatees and sea turtles, preserve forests and save the pangolin, described as the world’s most trafficked mammal.

According to the organisation, Nigeria has lost more than 70 per cent of its elephant population over the past 30 years, with the estimated population falling from between 1,200 and 1,500 in 1991 to about 300–400 today.

Nigeria has also emerged as a major global transit hub for illegal ivory and pangolin scales, accounting for nearly a quarter of the world’s seized ivory and more than half of global pangolin scale seizures between 2016 and 2019.

Celebrity wildlife advocates featured in the series include Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Djimon Hounsou, Laycon and Aproko Doctor, among others.

General Manager of Channels Television, Kingsley Uranta, said the partnership reflected the broadcaster’s commitment to African storytelling and using television to promote conservation.

“As Africa’s most awarded broadcaster, Channels Television is proud to partner with Wild Africa in bringing the Pan African Wildlife Series to audiences across the continent and beyond.

“This partnership reflects our commitment to using the power of television to celebrate Africa’s extraordinary natural heritage, promote conservation, and inspire a deeper appreciation of the wildlife and ecosystems that are vital to our continent’s future,” he said.

Series Producer and Wild Africa CEO, Peter Knights OBE, said wildlife preservation was critical to Africa’s economy, tourism and employment.

“Africa has the greatest wildlife spectacle on the planet, which is the attraction for 80% of visiting tourists. So wildlife preservation is vital for African economies and jobs as well as natural heritage.

“It’s time to celebrate the people that take on this daunting task and we hope the series informs and entertains in equal measures,” he said.

For Dr Ofua, bringing conservation stories to mainstream Nigerian television was important because public understanding of the relationship between people and nature was central to conservation efforts.

“Africa has extraordinary wildlife, but many of these species are disappearing before people have had the opportunity to truly know them.

“Wild Africa brings these stories into our homes in a way that is entertaining, relatable, and hopeful. We want Nigerians, especially young people, to see that wildlife is part of our heritage and that every one of us has a role to play in protecting it,” he said.

West Africa Director at Wild Africa, Linus Unah, said the Channels Television premiere would help make conservation a more prominent part of public discourse in Nigeria.

“This series is a remarkable effort to help us understand and appreciate everything being done to protect our wildlife and their habitats.

“It serves as a reminder of our duty to protect our remaining wildlife for future generations, and we hope audiences are truly inspired by it,” he said.

The Nigerian premiere forms part of a wider Pan-African rollout, with the series already airing in Zimbabwe and Namibia and scheduled for broadcast in South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Botswana and Zambia.

Wild Africa operates across 11 African countries and uses television, radio, print, outdoor advertising and digital platforms to promote wildlife conservation, domestic tourism, human-wildlife coexistence and stronger environmental policies.