2026 SAG Award Winners
Africa Nature Investors (ANI)
Project Goal
Africa Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation focuses on the sustainable management of Pas with outstanding biodiversity value (Gashaka Gumti & Okomu National Parks) in partnership with local communities & government, aiming to establish sustainable investment for protection (reducing dependency on philanthropy and governments).A key aspect of the park management is understanding the existing situation, &, as management decisions are made, monitoring the changes to determine the efficacy of those decisions.
GIS & RS techniques, provides a basis on which KPIs can be established and monitored - ranging from improving security and park infrastructure, decreasing illegal activities, monitoring deforestation, carbon/biomass estimates (for REDD+), fire management plans, local knowledge, urban encroachment, camera-trap data, and cattle grazing.
Underneath all this, GIS also acts as a database of key park infrastructure, accurately documenting boundaries, park roads/paths, & natural features.
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Business Problem Solved
Since the Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) agreement was signed in 2017, benefits are already apparent.
First and perhaps foremost, a spatially enabled database has enabled baseline creation for a number of topics with monitoring activities commencing. The positive results include:
1) Systematic ranger patrols have decreased illegal activities in the park and improved the security of the region
2) Applying land type classification and monitoring & quantifying changes.
3) Recording fire locations, intensity, and area, on a monthly basis to inform fire management plans
4) Input into focused land acquisition (for conservation-purposes) tasks in the proximity of the park
5) Locate the evidence of species through analysis of camera-trap data
6) Undertaken least-cost paths for particular species of wildlife for their future encouraged relocation.
Recording and visualizing these changes in GIS, and mapping, has significantly improved communication & reduced cost and use of resource
Technology Implemented
As part of ESRI’s nonprofit program, ANI has been able to leverage a wide array of ESRI’s technology – from the desktop software to support high-quality mapping as part of technical reports, to field maps and survey 1,23 to visualize data through dashboards and importantly some of the deep learning modules and advanced geospatial processing tools. The training and support behind the product have also been invaluable, as the team grows.
The technology has been widely harnessed and adopted into daily ANI staff routines and workflows. Patrols use a combination of locational enabled devices and systems to collect data and patrol paths/routes are recorded, increasing safety and patrol effectiveness.
Development Team Biography
Ado Oyedeji – GIS Manager at ANI Foundation. Since 2021, Adeoye has led management of Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tools (SMART) to ensure high-quality data and law enforcement security at two Nigerian national parks. He supports the Monitoring & Evaluation Framework to track KPIs across the patrol teams and maintains the organization's EarthRanger database.
Michael Tomiak – GIS & Remote Sensing Advisor, leads the development of a comprehensive monitoring system of the parks to inform management and support focused, effective management decisions. He has worked on a variety of global projects, with a focus on Africa. He oversees data management and governance, and the parks’ NASA partnership.
Tunde Morakinyo is Executive Director of and Founder, grew up in Ibadan and is a Community Forestry & Tropical Forest Conservation Specialist with thirty years’ experience implementing natural resource management projects for NGOs, private & public sector.