Wild Africa Begins New TV Series to Drive Conservation Action in Nigeria
A new Pan-African television series, “Wild Africa,” aimed at promoting wildlife conservation and inspiring action to protect the continent’s natural heritage, has been launched on Channels Television.
Premiered on Saturday, August 15, 2026, the 13-part magazine-style series, created specifically for African audiences, seeks to entertain and educate viewers while highlighting the urgent need to protect Africa’s wildlife and wild spaces.
Produced in Cape Town, South Africa, by conservation communications organisation Wild Africa, in partnership with Channels Television, with support from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Tammy Estrada Strome Foundation, the series combines short documentaries with celebrity wildlife experiences, interviews and studio segments.
New episodes air weekly on Saturdays, with repeat broadcasts also available on DStv and terrestrial television.
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, viewers will journey through different parts of Africa to meet conservationists, communities and other heroes working to protect some of the continent’s most threatened species.
The programme features sea turtle rescue efforts in Nigeria, elephant conservation 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 the Congo.
It also shines a spotlight on Nigeria’s conservation challenges and initiatives, including efforts to protect the country’s dwindling forest elephant population, manatees and sea turtles, preserve forests and save the pangolin, described as the world’s most trafficked mammal.
Nigeria has lost more than 70 per cent of its elephant population over the past three decades, with the estimated population declining from about 1,200–1,500 in 1991 to between 300 and 400 today.
The country has also emerged as a major transit hub for the illegal trade in ivory and pangolin scales, highlighting the need for stronger conservation efforts and public awareness.
Celebrity wildlife advocates featured in the series include Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Djimon Hounsou, Laycon and Aproko Doctor, among other prominent African personalities.
Speaking on the partnership, the General Manager of Channels Television, Kingsley Uranta, said the series aligns with the broadcaster’s commitment to African storytelling and conservation.
He said: “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.”
Series Producer and Wild Africa Chief Executive Officer, Peter Knights OBE, said Africa’s wildlife is not only a priceless part of the continent’s natural heritage but also critical to its economy and employment opportunities.
According to him, wildlife is the attraction for about 80 per cent of tourists visiting Africa, making its preservation vital to African economies.
He said the series would celebrate the people undertaking the challenging task of protecting the continent’s wildlife while informing and entertaining audiences.
Co-presenter, Dr. Mark Ofua, said bringing conservation stories to mainstream Nigerian television was important because protecting wildlife requires people to understand their relationship with nature.
He said: “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.”
The West Africa Director at Wild Africa, Linus Unah, said the Nigerian premiere would help bring conservation into mainstream public conversation.
He described the series as an effort to help audiences understand and appreciate the work being done to protect wildlife and their habitats, while reminding Nigerians of their responsibility to safeguard the country’s remaining wildlife for future generations.
The Nigerian premiere is part of a wider Pan-African rollout. The series is already airing in Zimbabwe and Namibia and is scheduled for broadcast in South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Botswana and Zambia.
Wild Africa is a conservation communications organisation dedicated to building public support and political will for the protection of Africa’s wildlife and wild spaces.
The organisation operates across 11 African countries, including Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Rwanda, Ghana, Namibia, Kenya, Botswana, Tanzania, Zambia and Somaliland.
Through television, radio, print, outdoor advertising, digital media and social platforms, Wild Africa says its conservation messages have reached more than one billion people across the continent.
The organisation also works with more than 200 ambassadors from the worlds of music, sport, film, television, business, faith and government to promote wildlife conservation, domestic tourism, human-wildlife coexistence and stronger environmental policies.
