Rachel Ikemeh Wins 2026 Rolex Award for Niger Delta Conservation

Photo of Rachel Ikemeh

Nigerian conservationist Rachel Ikemeh has been named a 2026 laureate of the Rolex Awards for her work with local communities to protect the Niger Delta’s unique ecosystem and the critically endangered Niger Delta red colobus monkey.

Protecting the Endangered Niger Delta Red Colobus

The Niger Delta red colobus (Piliocolobus epieni), locally known as the epieni, is among the world’s most threatened primates. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the species faces a serious risk of extinction because of habitat loss and other environmental pressures.

The monkey was first scientifically described in 1993, when its population was estimated at around 10,000 individuals across its restricted habitat in the Niger Delta. By 2013, however, its numbers had fallen to just hundreds, according to research cited in reporting on Ikemeh’s conservation work.

In 2021, Ikemeh and her colleagues helped establish a community-protected area covering 1,010 hectares (2,496 acres) in Apoi, a community within the monkey’s habitat. The initiative places local people at the centre of efforts to protect the forest and its wildlife.

The results have offered encouraging signs. Ikemeh told Mongabay by email that the red colobus population in the community-protected forest increased from 90 individuals in 2021 to between 180 and 200 by 2024. Her team has also supported the establishment of community conservation areas in the nearby communities of Garnaut and Kokoloama.

How Local Communities Are Making a Difference

For Ikemeh, receiving the Rolex Award represents more than a personal achievement. She described the honour as validation of the community-led conservation model and the people who have worked to protect their natural environment.

She said attitudes towards conservation have changed considerably over the years. Initially, some community members were suspicious that the project might lead to the government taking control of their forest. Today, she says, the epieni has become a source of pride for the community.

Ikemeh also reported that residents of Apoi had invited representatives from six other communities to learn about their conservation approach. Sharing this experience could help extend community-led protection to other areas where the species and its habitat remain under threat.

Challenges Facing Conservation in the Niger Delta

Despite the progress, protecting the epieni remains a considerable challenge. Ikemeh identified oil pollution, logging, overfishing, indiscriminate hunting and black sand mining along the coast as ongoing environmental threats across the Niger Delta.

The monkey’s population remains small, and its natural range is limited. This leaves the species vulnerable to disease outbreaks, social unrest and other disruptions that could undermine years of conservation work.

Long-term funding is another concern. Ikemeh explained that much of the funding available to her team is tied to short-term contracts and individual projects. Although local communities have become more accepting of conservation, poverty and unemployment continue to create economic pressures that can make environmental protection difficult to sustain.

How the Rolex Award Could Support Future Conservation

The Rolex Award, valued at 100,000 Swiss francs, is expected to help Ikemeh and her team expand their work. According to the reporting, the plans include establishing four additional community conservation areas near Apoi, including a locally managed maritime conservation area.

The funding is also intended to support a mobile environmental education programme that can reach communities the team has not yet been able to engage.

By combining local participation, environmental education and habitat protection, the initiative aims to strengthen the long-term prospects of the Niger Delta red colobus while helping communities protect the natural resources on which they depend.

Ikemeh’s recognition highlights the importance of conservation approaches that involve local people in protecting threatened wildlife and the ecosystems around them.

Source: Reporting by Mongabay, with additional information to be verified against the official Rolex Awards announcement.

Banner image: Nigerian conservationist