A Model for Sustainable Development of Geoparks in Northeastern Nigeria and Other Underrepresented Regions in Africa

A Model for Sustainable Development of Geoparks in Northeastern Nigeria and Other Underrepresented Regions in Africa | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A Model for Sustainable Development of Geoparks in Northeastern Nigeria and Other Underrepresented Regions in Africa Silas. S Dada, Kamaldeen. O.L Omosanya, Ifeanyi. A Oha, Nathaniel. G Goki, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8316904/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 15 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In Nigeria, the northeastern region contains a remarkable concentration of geosites, ranging from fossil-rich sedimentary basins to volcanic plateaus and crater lakes. These geosites are critical natural archives, yet a longstanding policy bias favors the conservation of biological resources over geological heritage, leaving these irreplaceable sites vulnerable to degradation and destruction. This study presents the first integrated, quantitative inventory and evaluation of 24 key geosites in Northeastern Nigeria. Here, we combine numerical scoring of twelve geoheritage criteria with SWOT analysis and the Abiotic–Biotic–Cultural (ABC) model to evaluate their significance, threats, and development potential. Our assessment found the Yankari Wikki Warm Springs, the Mambilla Plateau, the Kaltungo Horst, and the Lamurde Geothermal Springs as sites of national to international significance, meeting core UNESCO Global Geopark eligibility criteria. Eight other sites, including Lake Chad, Biu Plateau, and the Gombe Inlier, show high potential but require infrastructure and accessibility upgrades. We identify opportunities to integrate abiotic conservation into the protected area framework of Nigeria to foster geotourism and diversify rural economies. As a result, this study proposes a strategic five-year roadmap for geopark nomination, including legislative reform, community-based conservation, and partnerships between the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, National Parks Service, and local governments. Importantly, our work provides a foundation for sustainable geotourism and geoconservation by aligning the unique geological diversity of NE Nigeria with global conservation frameworks, while positioning the region as a future flagship for African UNESCO Global Geoparks. Geoheritage Geopark Development Conservation Strategy Northeastern Nigeria Geosite Evaluation UNESCO Global Geoparks Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 10 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 05 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 03 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 03 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 02 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 01 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 30 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 Jan, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 28 Jan, 2026 Editor invited by journal 21 Jan, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 19 Jan, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 04 Jan, 2026 First submitted to journal 04 Jan, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8316904","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":582225602,"identity":"10d06d53-2106-42da-bc89-b4402b1d342b","order_by":0,"name":"Silas. 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