Program

Open Calls

Call for Abstracts: Open now until 30 May, 2026
Call for Proprosals: Open now until 31 March, 2026
Call for Plenary Speakers: Open now until 31 March, 2026

You can sign in using your SCB credentials. You have SCB credentials if you are a current or former member of the Society. New to SCB? You can create an account on the sign-in page.

Call for Abstracts: Open Now
Guidelines, Instructions and Procedures for Abstract Submission

1. Purpose of Abstract Submission

The African Congress for Conservation Biology (ACCB 2026) invites researchers, practitioners, policymakers, indigenous knowledge holders, students, and conservation professionals to submit abstracts showcasing original research, innovative practices, policy insights, and community-based solutions relevant to biodiversity conservation in Africa. Submissions should align with the Congress theme and contribute to advancing conservation science, practice, education, and policy under changing climatic conditions.

2. Abstract Preparation Guidelines

Authors must adhere strictly to the following requirements:

Use standard scientific structure that include: background, methods, results, conclusions.
Abstracts must represent original work.
Word count should not exceed 300 words.
Keywords should not exceed five words.
Indicate the preferred presentation type and sub-theme.
The one author one submission rule of SCB.

3. Type of Presentations

Abstracts may be submitted for consideration under the following categories:

Oral Presentations (scientific papers or applied conservation studies)
Poster Presentations (research-in-progress or completed studies)

The Scientific Committee reserves the right to reassign presentation types where necessary.

4. Sub-Themes

Authors are encouraged to submit abstracts under (but not limited to) the following sub-themes:

Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Community-Led Conservation in Africa
Policy Coherence, Institutions, and Africa’s Commitments to Global Biodiversity Frameworks
Innovation, Green Entrepreneurship, and Demographic Pressures in Conservation
Ecological Modelling, Species Population Dynamics, and Conservation Planning
Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, and Human Well-Being in African Landscapes
One Health Approaches and Africa’s Biodiversity Pathways Beyond 2030
Technological Solutions for Human–Wildlife Coexistence in Africa
Digital Conservation Tools and Smart Technologies for Biodiversity Protection
Data Analytics, Decision Support Systems, and Evidence-Based Conservation
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice in African Conservation
Citizen Science and Participatory Approaches in Biodiversity Conservation

5. Ethical Considerations

Submissions involving indigenous knowledge, local communities, or human subjects must:

Demonstrate respect for ethical research standards
Acknowledge community participation and consent where applicable
Avoid disclosure of sensitive or restricted indigenous knowledge without permission
The Congress upholds principles of equity, inclusion, and respect for indigenous rights and knowledge systems.

6. Submission Procedure

Authors must submit abstracts electronically via the official ACCB 2026 abstract submission portal.

Create or log into a user account on the submission platform.
Complete all required metadata fields (title, authors, affiliations, abstract text, keywords, sub-theme).
Review the submission carefully before final submission.
Upon successful submission, authors will receive an automated confirmation email.
Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

7. Review and Selection Process

All abstracts will undergo peer review by the ACCB Scientific and Technical Committee.

Evaluation criteria include:

Relevance to the Congress Theme, Subtheme and African conservation priorities
Scientific rigor or practical relevance
Originality and innovation
Clarity and quality of writing
Decisions of the Scientific Committee are final.

8. Notification of Acceptance

Corresponding authors will be notified of acceptance. Notification will indicate the presentation type, session, and presentation guidelines. Accepted abstracts will be published in the official ACCB 2026 Programme of events.

9. Registration Requirement

At least one author of each accepted abstract must register for the Congress and present the work. Failure to register by the stipulated deadline may result in withdrawal of the abstract from the programme.

10. Important Dates (Indicative)

Call for abstracts opens: 10 March 2026

Abstract submission deadline: 30 May 2026

Notification of acceptance: Early June 2026

Author registration deadline: 30 June 2026

11. Language and Accessibility

The official language of the Congress is English. Efforts will be made to promote inclusivity and accessibility, including participation by early-career researchers, students, women, and indigenous knowledge holders.

12. Enquiries

For questions related to abstract submission, please contact:

ACCB 2026 Scientific Committee
Society for Conservation Biology – Africa Region (SCB-AR)
Email: accb2026nigeria@gmail.com

SCB-AR looks forward to your valuable contributions toward advancing biodiversity conservation in Africa.

Login to the ACCB 2026 Submission Platform (link here) to submit your abstracts.

ACCB Session Types

ACCB 2026 features five session types.

Symposia: Thematically-focused sessions that feature speakers invited by symposia organizers to present their insights, perspectives and research on the theme of the symposium.

Contributed Presentations: Presentations grouped into general sessions by topic. Contributed sessions are scheduled in 90-minute increments with five speakers in each session.

Workshops: Whether geared toward students or professionals, workshops are interactive and often have an educational / technical component. They share an approach, scientific finding, or technology that provides practical solutions for conservation challenges.

Training Courses: Provide opportunities for registered delegates to receive expert-led education and training on topics relevant for biodiversity conservation, including strategy, capacity building and project management.

Roundtable Discussions: Bring together people with diverse expertise to develop tangible and actionable outputs — such as a list of recommendations, a publication, a policy briefing or a white paper — on a specific conservation issue. Roundtable Discussions are meant for discussion, collaboration, brainstorming, etc. They are not meant to consist of a series of presentations. Roundtable Discussions typically have a smaller number of participants (10-30 maximum) than training courses or workshops.

Call for Proposals

The Society for Conservation Biology Africa Region is excited to announce the Call for Proposals for Symposia, Workshops, Training Courses, and Round Table Discussions for the 2026 Africa Congress for Conservation Biology, scheduled for August 31- September 4 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria.

The deadline to submit proposals for ACCB 2026 is 31st March 2026.

Login to the ACCB 2026 Submission Platform (link here) to submit your proposal. You can sign in using your SCB credentials. You have SCB credentials if you are a current or former member of the Society. New to SCB? You can create an account on the sign-in page.

Workshops, training courses, and round table discussions take place over the lunchtime break.

Please note: ACCB follows the "One Proposal" rule, which means that all delegates are limited to one-proposal total (across all categories).

Questions? Please email accb2026nigeria@gmail.com

Plenary Speaker Nominations

In our pursuit of thought-provoking and relatable plenary talks, the ACCB 2026 is giving the African conservation community a chance to nominate plenary speakers. We are looking for speakers who have made a major contribution to the science or practice of conservation in Africa. Talks that are broadly relevant to an African audience, and contributions in an African context, are a priority. Speakers can be from any career stage. Self-nominations are permitted. The committee hopes that proposed speakers are also uniquely positioned to address the theme of ACCB (Embracing Indigenous Solutions and Strengthening Policies for Conserving Africa’s Biodiversity in a Changing Climate).

How to Submit Your Nomination

Please send your suggestions (one only) to the ACCB Steering Committee using this email: accb2026nigeria@gmail by 31 March 2026. We prefer to have nominations from among those that are planning to attend ACCB 2026.

Your email should include the following:

Your suggested speaker's full name, including their affiliation, email address and country
A statement on why the conservation community in Africa will benefit from hearing from your proposed speaker (100 words or less)
A statement on the contribution to biodiversity conservation your proposed speaker has made, particularly in Africa (100 words or less)
Your connection to your proposed speaker, if applicable.