The National Park Service of Nigeria was established by Decree 36 in 1991 with five national parks. These were Gashaka Gumti, Kainji Lake, Cross River, Old Oyo and Chad Basin National Parks. In 1992, Yankari Game Reserve was converted to a national park, bringing the total to six national parks. With the promulgation of Decree 46 of 1999, now Act 46 (Cap 65 LFN 2004), in 1999 two additional national parks; Kamuku and Okomu were established. However, Yankari was delisted as a national park following a request by the Bauchi State Government in June 2006, reducing the number of national parks to seven.

The concept and development of national parks has its origins in the United States of America where the United States Congress declared Yellow Stone as a national park, the first of its kind, in 1872. Despite the frequent reference to national parks in daily affairs in the country, many Nigerians know little about the existence and roles of national parks in the country or the objectives for which they were established. This pamphlet provides a glimpse into these and related issues.