Wetland plays a huge role in our environment, principally water purification and waste treatment, water regulation, soil formation, nutrient retention, erosion control/regulation, source of food from acquatic animals like crabs, barnacles etc, fiber fuels, wildlife resources, storm protection and wind break.

Nigeria has a large number of sites designated as wetland with stretched expanse of about 2,988,000 hectares of the terrestial lands which are categorized as wetlands while the freshwater swamps and mangeove region of the wetland environment are about 2,130,000 and 858,000 hectare respectively.  9 Wetlands in Nigeria are recognized on the Ramsar list of which Apoi creek, baturiya wetland, Dangona sanctuary lake, Oguta lake, Pandam and Wase lake, Upper Orashi forest others are: Nguru lake, Forge Islands, Lake Chad wetlands, Niger fringing floodplain, Sokoto and Rima valleys, Hadejia Komadugu floodplains, Markudi wetlands, Lokoja wetlands, Jebba wetlands, Lower Kaduna wetlands, Cross river, Benin(Owuna river and the Okomu river), Lower Ogun river, Yewa Creeks, Badagry creeks, Ologe Lagoon, Lekki Peninsula and Lagos Lagoon.

In this report is an outline of a few of these wetlands internationally recognized by Ramsar. It shows their location, economic and ecological importance, human activities, etc

APOI CREEK

Apoi creek forest in Bayelsa is a forest reserve with features of a tidal freshwater lowland swamp forest located in the Central Niger Delta and composed mainly of marshes, mangrove forest and fresh water swamps. The forest is dense and rich in several ecologically and economically valuable floral and fauna species. The site supports the endangered Niger Delta Red Columbus monkey and serves as a good ground for fishes and contributes to the livelihood of the locals through provision of non-timber forest products, agricultural lands and fisheries.

BATURIYA WETLAND

Baturiya wetland is located in Kano. It is a natural wetland of the sudano-sahelian biogeographical region and comprises of ponds and seasonally flooded land that is replenished by the annual flooding of Kafin Hausa river. It supports great diversity of flora and fauna and is particularly important florits waterbirds ranging from the yellow billed stork, knob-billed goose, African grey hornbill etc. Its inhabitants depends on agriculture, fishing and general harvesting of resources. Its best feature is the Baturiya wetland game reserve.

DAGONA SANCTUARY LAKE

Dangona Sanctuary lake is located in Yobe is a large national seasonally flooded oxbow lake that falls in the section of hadejia-jamaare River flood plain within the Chad basin National Park. The lake supports a wide range of fish species, and is an important source of drinking water for local cattle's and supports widely range of bird species and breeding of birds like grey hetm, little egret etc.

LOWER KADUNA-MIDDLE NIGER FLOODPLAIN

Lower Kaduna-Middle Niger flood plain is located in Kwara and Niger state. It is an extensive alluvial wetland on the flood plain of the mid section of River Niger and course of River Kaduna, a main tributary of Nigeria. The site consists of pools, lakes, shifting river courses, sand banks and is inundated annually by  floodwater. The wetland constitute an important breeding area for the rosy bee-eater and supports a significant number of bird species that are restricted to the Sudan-guinea savanna blome. Its locals depends on the site for fishing, collection of wild resources and agriculture, but their activities require better regulations to be sustainable.

MALADUMBA LAKE

Maladumba lake is located in Bauchi, it is s natural shallow lake surrounding the forest reserve in Central northern Nigeria. It is known for having plants, animal species and birds such as grey heron, white necked stork, green fruit pigeon etc. The lake has high diversity of fish species and this play an important role in enhancing the local economy.

OGUTA LAKE

Oguta lake is located in Imo State. It has the largest natural freshwater lake in southern Nigeria, located in a natural depressing within the flood plain of River Niger. This lake contains 258 species of phytoplankton in 107 genera and 40 fish species. The lakerecieves  perennial drainage from river Njabo utu and Awbuna and the lake drains into Orashi. The lake is an important source of municipal and domestic water to the people of Oguta.

PANDAM AND WASE LAKES

Pandam and Wase lake in Nasarawa State is formed from two tributaries drain into each of the lake's arm and the lake is separated from River Del by a swamp which extends along both of them. It supports a large number of migrating birds with about 217 birds species for example the white-faced whistling duck and long-toed lapwing.

UPPER ORASHI FOREST

Upper Orashi forest is located in Rivers State. It is a freshwater swamp forest in the Central Niger Delta, inundated from September to November by floodwaters of the River Orashi resulting in situation and soil fertility augmentation. The site is noted for hosting critically endangered sclater's guenon and endangered white-throated guenon, Red Colobus monkey and Heslop's pygmy hippopotamus

Sources: (Ramsar official website. African Journal of environmental science and technology- Niger delta wetland. European journal of sustainable ecosystem development (2012), H.O Nwakwala. Wetland resources of Nigeria: Case study of Hadejira-Nguru wetland).

These wetlands as explained above are host for migrating birds species, aquatic birds, fishes and also serves as an economic bio diversity, providing freshwater for its host communities close to it and provides means of livelihood to locals of such communities and also provide longtime economic value, such as tourist attraction sites in Nigeria. However human activities such as poaching, sewage and dumpings, bush burning, overgrazing, dredging activities, overfishing and conversion of some of the wetlands pose a threat to the existence of the wetlands and endangers aquatic species. Therefore the government should strengthen its laws and policies to mitigate wetland exploitation and human activities and implement its already formulated management plan for wetlands in Nigeria.