The potentials of DNA Barcoding in identifying biological specimens and managing species diversity in Nigeria

Nigerian Biodiversity Status Vascular Plants: Total number: 4,715 Total number threatened: 119 Animal: Total number: 5,291 Total number threatened: 40

Threatened habitats Forests Savanna Mountain

Causes of Threat Cultural practices Agriculture Legal and Illegal Trade in fauna and flora  Smuggling  Poaching  Lumbering Alien /invasive species

Potentials for DNA Barcoding in Nigeria Potentials abound in Nigeria for DNA Barcoding research for sustainable development aimed at meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDG): medicinal plants, biodiversity hotspots, taxonomic groups of economic importance. There are also waiting opportunities to benefit from: Tree-BOL and FISHBOL global initiatives

Facilities available Some facilities are on ground in some of our universities and research institutes: Extraction-PCR Gene Bank NACGRAB (National Centre for Genetic Res. And Biotec.) IITA, Ibadan, Seq. Machine? IAR Zaria: Seq UNILAG: & UI Extractions to PCR FHI: National Herbarium with almost 110,000 plant collections NNMDA: Herbarium for Medicinal Plants

Manpower availability A quick survey in the country has revealed that there is adequate manpower availability for DNA Barcoding research. Indeed there are pockets of ongoing individual research initiatives on animals and plants DNA, accounting for less than 0.01% of plants and 0.2% of animals The DNA resulting from these research initiatives are deposited in various DNA gene banks of the collaborating institutions around the world

Conclusions For Nigeria to maximize its potentials in DNA Barcoding and benefit also from global biodiversity initiatives, we shall need capacity building-oriented and policy-driven implementation. Nigeria hopes to collaborate through networking with W/African and central African counterparts This is important for the government to fulfil its obligations to the CBD