(NESREA) and the Challenges of Environmental Regulation in Nigeria

Abstract:

The paper is an assessment of several efforts undertaking as well as challenges faced by National Environmental Standards Regulatory and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) being the regulator in enforcing the provisions of various environmental laws which have been enacted from independence to the present as an unwavering answer to dealing with environmental threats challenging Nigeria as a country. The work examines the effectiveness of NESREA in Nigeria as an enforcement agency, looks in brief the environmental challenges to economic development of Nigeria and the well-being of its citizenry in line with the national and international provisions for environmental assessment in Nigeria. This work employed the use of primary and secondary sources in gathering of information. The paper identified a lot of challenges confronting NESREA to include flagrant abuse of environmental laws without commensurate penalties, weak enforcement, corruption on the part of the staff of the regulatory agency, poor public enlightenment education while also advocating for the reinforcement of the regulatory institution to make room for a broader participation, an elaborate supervisory, monitoring and enforcement of environmental rules, laws and principles.