The Niger Delta region of Nigeria, covering an area of approximately 112,000 sq km, is one of the largest wetlands in the world, characterized by diverse ecosystems, abundant natural resources, and extreme poverty. The biodiversity importance of the Niger Delta Region cannot be overstated. Also known for its large deposits of crude oil and gas, the Niger Delta accounts for over 80% of NigeriaÔÇÖs total annual earnings. However, oil and gas (O&G) developments have been highly damaging to the Niger DeltaÔÇÖs environment, eliminating habitats, threatening species, and destroying the livelihoods for many traditional resource user, livelihoods that are based on farming and fishing. The persistence of poverty, environmental problems and conflict in the Niger Delta, in spite of enormous financial investments by government, O&G companies and other donors, indicates the need to rethink the framework for development in the region. This project will focus in particular on the need to raise the bar for biodiversity management in the Niger Delta in order to provide protection to the wealth of habitats and species that the region harbours and to the essential environmental services the regionÔÇÖs ecosystems provide (e.g. water, nutrient and carbon cycles). The project is slated to mainstream biodiversity conservation priorities into the Niger Delta oil and gas (O&G) sector development policies and operations. This will be achieved through the realisation of three outcomes:1. Governance framework for the mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation into the O&G sector in the Niger Delta will be improved;2. The O&G industry and community will be engaged in biodiversity management in the Niger Delta; and 3. Financial mechanisms for O&G sector support to biodiversity conservation will be piloted.