ALU School of Wildlife Conservation - ALU School of Wildlife Conservation

Business of Conservation
Conference 2025 & 2026

19th November 2025: Virtual BCC

4th & 5th March 2026: In-person BCC in Nairobi

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ALU

School of Wildlife Conservation

Leading the Business of Conservation

Sustainable Tourism Destination Management Course

A self-paced eCornell online course offered in collaboration with SOWC to train hospitality and tourism students and professionals in managing destination assets.

Carbon Finance for Conservation

Understanding the role of carbon finance for conservation

Leading the way

Effective Management for Marine Conservation and Biodiversity
in Africa

Conservation Innovation Challenge

Kavango–Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area - KAZA TFCA

ALUSB

MBA Program

Your MBA for Africa's Opportunities

Wildlife Economy
Investment Index

WEII is a measure of investment potential in Africa’s wildlife economy

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Etude de cas du Bénin

State of Wildlife Economy in Africa

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Case Study:
Senegal

State of Wildlife Economy in Africa

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Case Study:
Benin

State of Wildlife Economy in Africa

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Case Study:
Zambia

State of Wildlife Economy in Africa

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State of Wildlife
Economy in Africa

The Full Report

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Case Study:
South Africa

State of Wildlife Economy in Africa

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Case Study:
Uganda

State of Wildlife Economy in Africa

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State of Wildlife Economy in Uganda

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Case Study:
Rwanda

State of Wildlife Economy in Africa

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Case Study:
Ghana

State of Wildlife Economy in Africa

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Case Study:
Kenya

State of Wildlife Economy in Africa

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Case Study:
Tanzania

State of Wildlife Economy in Africa

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Case Study:
Nigeria

State of Wildlife Economy in Africa

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Road map for
Africa's Wildlife
Economy Report

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Feuille de route
pour l'économie
de la faune et de la flore en Afrique

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Roteiro para a Economia de Vida Selvagem

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About SOWC

Founded in 2016, the School of Wildlife Conservation is a centre of excellence focused on the "Business of Conservation"

What do we mean by the "Business of Conservation"?

For too long, the conservation space has been dominated by inefficiency and waste. Consequently, we are now facing an extinction crisis that is the most extreme our planet has ever witnessed. As a direct result of human activity, damage to the natural environment has reached unprecedented levels and, if we are to save ourselves from disaster, new models for managing the natural capital of planet earth are required. The business of conservation is about creating and maintaining economic incentives for the sustainable utilisation of wild resources and removing economic incentives which drive unsustainable use. It is about finding ways for conservation to become an opportunity for economic and social development, where natural capital is sustained or grown even as we attend to the needs of human beings.

SOWC is CPD Accredited

We have received accreditation from Continuing Professional Development Certification Services. This accreditation verifies our commitment to providing high-quality education and training in line with global CPD principles.

SOWC Stories

Mayibongwe Musariri

Mayibongwe Musariri Class of 2026, Bachelor of Entrepreneurial Leadership A Journey of Discovery: Internship at Loisaba Conservancy: Integrating Livestock, Community, and Conservation … Early in

December 17, 2024

Research Updates

Research updates Pastoralism and Wildlife Debate In April, the School of Wildlife Conservation (SOWC) hosted an insightful debate titled “Pastoralism and Wildlife: Advantages and Challenges.”

July 17, 2024

Judith Nankunda

Judith Nankunda Class of 2026, BSc (Hons)EntrepreneurialLeadership (BEL) Internship Story … Expectation vs Reality Landing a new opportunity in Kenya was incredibly exciting, especially since

June 13, 2024

Debate series 3

Debate III TitlePastoralism and wildlife: advantages and challenges … 11th April 2024 Watch the debate Overview An insightful discussion about the interdependencies and challenges between

April 3, 2024

Deborah Akintayo, The Conservation Storyteller

DeborahAkintayo Class of 2024, BA Global Challenges Eko Cycle: FB’s Journey Through Lagos … Someone once said that change starts where you are—using what you

March 28, 2024

Graff Innocent Phiri

Graff Innocent Phiri Year 1, Bachelor of Entrepreneurial Leadership A Journey of Discovery: My Internship Experience with Game Rangers International … When I set foot

March 27, 2024

Our Objectives

Our work as a School is critically important for the future of the African continent, indeed for the rest of the world. Our objectives are

To become the global "go to" place for people wishing to learn about new approaches to conservation, built, developed and successfully practiced across Africa by Africans

We want Africa to become seen as the global leader for global conservation success where our amazing natural assets are safeguarded for future generations as the continent develops.

We do this in a number of ways

Supporting young leaders at the African Leadership University: Critically important is our support to all ALU students undertaking degree courses. Through the school we aim to expose as many future African leaders as possible to conservation, with the expectation that a significant subset of these leaders will focus on conservation as their life’s mission and ultimately engage in conservation efforts on the continent. For those who choose missions focused on the conservation space we support them with consistent high quality expertise and mentoring, access to high quality information, regular guest speaker sessions from experts across Africa and other parts of the world as well as impactful internship opportunities from our wide network of conservation partners.

We deliver a Conservation MBA (currently in redevelopment to be relaunched in early 2023) and run a suite of executive development courses focused on leadership and various aspects of cutting edge conservation. We have become a hub for the wildlife economy of Africa through our world class Research programme. We also deliver the world renowned Business of Conservation Conference (BCC) once annually in Kigali, and regularly support innovation accelerators for people with new ideas about how to transform the conservation space.

We are on a mission to create the next generation of entrepreneurial African conservation leaders who we know will thrive in the booming green economy that is emerging across the continent. From carbon markets, to green financing and protected area management, we have the ability to support student choices and passions across a wide range of different areas. If you want to live and learn at the cutting edge of modern education, then join us at the School of Wildlife Conservation.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Our Programmes

Wildlife Economy Research

State of the Wildlife economy in Africa Report

The aim of our research is to gather data and information to illustrate the value of wildlife to economies and through this to encourage investment in this important economic asset. The research process will also highlight data gaps and encourage the collection of data related to wildlife economies in order to better understand the vast contribution of wildlife resources to national economies.

Undergraduate Programme

Developing the next generation of conservation leaders

We offer an individually tailored undergraduate program, a BA in Global Challenges with a specialization in conservation, to empower students to drive innovative solutions to Africa’s conservation challenges.

MBA for the Business of Conservation

Select the Conservation specialisation and begin your MBA journey as part of the conservation ecosystem at the School of Wildlife Conservation.

The African Leadership University School of Business (ALUSB) MBA offers a unique 20-month part-time program, blending world-class education with real-world application in the African context.

The Business of Conservation Conference

Breaking down the silos in conservation

We convene a wide array of stakeholders to promote best practices, strengthen networks, and collectively tackle the challenges of conservation. The first of these was the 2018 BCC which hosted 300 leaders from conservation, ecotourism, politics, conservation philanthropy and investors.

Professional Development Courses

Professional Development for Conservation at the School of Wildlife Conservation

Crucial for individuals and organizations operating across the rapidly evolving wildlife conservation and sustainability sectors of Africa. It plays a vital role in helping people and organizations keep up with the evolving challenges and opportunities, and equipping professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to drive impactful change.

Circular Economy

A concept that aims to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency by keeping resources in use for as long as possible.

African Leadership University’s School of Wildlife Conservation is taking the lead in accelerating the circular economy transition in Africa. The School is committed to educating its students and professionals on the importance of circular economy principles with the aim of creating a sustainable future for the continent’s wildlife and natural resources.

Entrepreneurship in Conservation

Discovering and grooming the next generation of entrepreneurs in Conservation

We aim to discover and incubate new revenue models that do not depend on tourism, but still enable local communities within African countries to obtain their livelihoods from wildlife, manage their natural resources sustainably, and improve their collective wellbeing. Participants have the chance to win a place in the African Leadership University’s incubation programme and access to seed money.

Biodiversity Investment Research & Advisory [BIRA]

BIRA is a partnership formed to develop a ratings framework for biodiversity investments.

ALU’s SOWC, Dalberg, and FSD Africa Investments bring together their in-depth understanding of biodiversity conservation and restoration as well as impact investments to form a partnership that will help investors measure and rate biodiversity outcomes

SOWC in Numbers

Our Impact Report

Fred Swaniker

Founder

A citizen of Ghana, Fred Swaniker grew up in Botswana and Zimbabwe, both countries blessed with wildlife. However, like the majority of his peers, his family could never afford to visit the high-end game reserves in these countries. He vividly remembers during his college years in the United States that his peers would ask him if he had seen a lion or an elephant. He would uncomfortably respond that he had indeed seen such animals–but in a zoo! It was only when Fred returned to Africa–this time to South Africa–that he had the opportunity to visit the Kruger National Park. He was immediately awestruck by the wildlife and breathtaking landscapes he experienced in the bush, and vowed that he would find a way to ensure that future generations of Africans would also be able enjoy such incredible experiences. He also realized that unless Africa’s wildlife became an ‘African asset’–something that all Africans–not only wealthy foreign tourists could see the benefits of–African communities would have no incentives to conserve habitat and wildlife. Years later, when Fred founded African Leadership University, he saw it as a vehicle to address the ‘Grand Challenges’ and ‘Great Opportunities’ that Africa would encounter over the next 50 years. The conservation of Africa’s wildlife was high on his list of African opportunities and Fred envisioned a school within the university that would develop leaders for conservation. But his wish would remain a dream until he reconnected with his longtime friend, financial backer, and philanthropist Jennifer Oppenheimer in mid-2016. As it turned out, Jennifer had been thinking along the same lines as Fred.

Jennifer Oppenheimer

Life-long philanthropist and conservationist

In memoriam of Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer

A seed funder for African Leadership University, the late Jennifer (Fern) W. Oppenheimer was instrumental in the establishment of the pan-African university in 2013. Three years later–in mid 2016–Jennifer approached the University’s founder, Fred Swaniker, with an idea to create a new generation of African leaders who would lead efforts to safeguard Africa’s natural resources and wildlife. Her vision, shared by ALU, was to ensure that Africa’s wildlife becomes a truly valuable ‘asset’ that is enjoyed by Africans and the world, and that contributes to the sustainable development of Africa. Jennifer subsequently provided seed funding to enable the establishment of the ALU School of Wildlife Conservation.

Our People

Our Policies

Highlights

Our Partners and Organisations We Work With

About SOWC

The ALU School of Wildlife Conservation is the first of its kind on the continent, dedicated to growing the next generation of world class conservation leaders in Africa.

The continent needs home grown African leaders to spearhead new and innovative approaches in the business of conservation.

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Contact

ALU School of Wildlife Conservation

Bumbogo, Kigali Innovation City, Next to Azam, Kigali, Rwanda
Phone: +250 784 650 219

Inquiries

sowc@alueducation.com