Africa’s wildlife economy remains under-measured and under-invested despite its potential to drive economic growth, according to researchers at the African Leadership University School of Wildlife Conservation.
Speaking at the recent Business of Conservation Conference 2026 in Nairobi, Sue Snyman, Director of Research at the institution, said wildlife economies encompass far more than safari tourism.
“Wildlife economies are often narrowly understood as tourism but they include the sustainable use of all flora and fauna – marine, coastal and terrestrial – to generate economic and development benefits while supporting conservation.”
Measuring wildlife potential
To better understand the sector, researchers developed the Wildlife Economy Investment Index, which evaluates countries based on wildlife assets, how those assets are managed and the overall investment environment.
The wildlife asset component measures biodiversity and natural resources while management assesses governance and conservation practices. The third factor evaluates whether the broader economic, business and regulatory climate encourages investment.
The results show variation across the continent. Tanzania ranks very highly in terms of wildlife assets because of its extensive protected areas and biodiversity. However, the country scores lower on management indicators, partly because some data points remain incomplete.
Kenya and Rwanda perform strongly in investment conditions while maintaining relatively strong biodiversity scores although neither matches Tanzania’s scale of wildlife resources.
Countries facing instability, such as Somalia, rank in the lowest tier of the index, reflecting the impact of conflict on conservation and investment potential.
Uganda sits roughly in the middle. It combines strong wildlife resources with a reasonably favourable investment climate but still has room for improvement in policy and management frameworks.
Policy shapes wildlife economies
Researchers say legislation governing community rights to wildlife is a key factor shaping wildlife economies.
In Uganda, communities are legally allowed to benefit from certain wildlife resources, providing a direct incentive to conserve ecosystems. In Kenya, however, wildlife legally belongs to the state although community conservancies have created mechanisms for local participation.
According to Snyman, enforcement remains a major challenge. “Countries can sign environmental agreements but enforcement is often the real challenge,” she said.
Regionally, Southern Africa ranks highest overall in the index, largely due to stronger policy frameworks and more developed investment environments.
Namibia’s constitution, for example, embeds community rights to wildlife, allowing communities to benefit directly from wildlife resources and strengthening conservation incentives.
Beyond tourism
While tourism remains a cornerstone of many wildlife economies, researchers say it represents only one part of a broader system.
The COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted the risks of relying too heavily on tourism revenues.
Snyman pointed to the example of Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which combines tourism with agriculture, livestock production and residential wildlife estates.
By integrating multiple economic activities, such models can help stabilise revenue streams while maintaining conservation objectives.
The data gap
Despite its economic importance, much of Africa’s wildlife economy is not captured in official statistics.
“We have a situation where the wildlife economy is under-measured, under-valued and under-invested,” Snyman said.
Better data could help unlock investment by giving policymakers and investors clearer information about risks, revenues and market potential.
