THE STATE OF EX-SITU CONSERVATION IN NIGERIA

Ex-situ conservation is the process of protecting an endangered species of plant or animal by removing part of the population from a threatened habitat and placing it in a new location, which may be a wild area or within the care of humans. There are several methods of ex-situ conservation being practiced in various parts of the world. However, the ex-situ conservation methods used in Nigeria include botanic and zoological gardens, arboretum, genebanks and in-vitro storage, a few DNA banks and cryopreservation efforts, and there are no active pollen banks. This paper reviews the state of the ex-situ conservation sites in Nigeria in order to bridge the information gaps on the ex-situ conservation of genetic resources in Nigeria. The research institutions, Universities and relevant non-Governmental organizations involved in the conservation of genetic resources ex-situ were taken into account, while their germplasm collections were stated. The challenges faced by ex-situ germplasm conservation were discussed and the role of the Government in improving those situations was emphasized.