Africa

Building strong partnerships with Africa's Indigenous Peoples

Quick facts

50M

Indigenous People in Africa

Number of distinct Indigenous Peoples we work with in Africa

Active partnerships in Africa and counting

Why it's important

Indigenous Peoples in Africa care for key regions where both cultural and ecological diversity thrive, supporting vibrant ecosystems.

With lands and waters rich in biocultural diversity and recognized as the cradle of humanity, Africa is a critical region for advancing Indigenous Peoples' guardianship.

In 2024, Nia Tero launched its work in Africa after deep and intentional consultation with its Indigenous Peoples. Our goal is to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ guardianship through partnerships with Indigenous pastoralists and hunter-gatherers in key biocultural regions. Ultimately, we aim to support thriving Indigenous Peoples, lands and cultures that provide a future for Indigenous African youth.

A wide, panoramic view of the same marshy landscape with a dark body of water and yellowed grass.

Currently, our partnerships lie in East Africa and Namibia, with future plans to include Indigenous Peoples in parts of the Congo Basin.

Nia Tero's work in Africa is anchored on three pillars:

We advance Indigenous Peoples' guardianship of their customary lands, primarily through partnerships with pastoralists and hunter-gatherers via flexible strategic grants. We prioritize efforts that:

Secure and strengthen land rights and governance
Revitalize culture and identity
Cultivate the next generation of leaders
Enhance cross-border collaboration

In addition to advancing work with specific Indigenous Peoples and their customary lands, we seek to advance continentwide Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) movements, as well as national and subregional IPLC movements in our key focus areas to strengthen policy-oriented work.

We endeavor to tell stories that highlight Indigenous Peoples in Africa as key actors in climate and biodiversity conservation, and adept agents of their own futures.