In a world with a growing population and shrinking space for wild animals, is there a future for Africa's wildlife beyond a few state-protected areas? Yes, there is! If we use it rather than lose it. Using wild plants and animals in a way that generates economic returns for the people that conserve them is known as the wildlife economy. If the wildlife economy outperforms other land uses such as domestic livestock farming, then wildlife will be a more attractive option and the amount of land under wildlife will increase, as will wildlife numbers and benefits to biodiversity. Here, we focus on how the sustainable, legal use of wild animals sustains a vibrant wildlife economy and contributes to nature conservation. This approach has resulted in Namibia's wild animal population increasing six-fold from an all-time low in the early 1970s to the highest level seen in the last 100 years. Neighbouring countries in southern Africa that have taken a similar approach to wildlife have shown similar levels of success.