Environmental Law In Nigeria: Everything You Need To Know

In this article we shall quickly take a look at
environmental laws in Nigeria,the list of environmental laws and all the basic information about the law in Nigeria that you should know.

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If you have ever lived in Nigeria,you must have noticed that every first or last saturday of the month is set aside for what is called 'clean up'.

This exercise is usually controlled and enforced by the state government of different states in Nigeria. Usually th ere will be a curfew placed for some hours till after the 'clean up exercise.

This act evolved from the federal government environmental policy which is actually contained in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Apart from the decree in the constitution the federal government has also enacted some other laws that will ensure that the environment is protected,defaulters of these laws will either be prosecuted or fined.

Environmental Law In Nigeria: Everything You Need To Know

According to section 20 of the Constitution, the state is empowered to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the water, air and land, forest and wildlife of Nigeria.

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Section 12 establishes that international treaties (including environmental treaties) ratified by the National Assembly should be implemented as law in Nigeria while the Section 33 and 34 which guarantee fundamental human rights to life and human dignity respectively, this has been linked to the need for a healthy and safe environment to give these rights effect.

Listed below is the list of all the environmental laws in Nigeria.

28 Environmental Laws In Nigeria

• 1. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999)  
• 2. Exclusive Economic Zone Act
• 3. Environmental Impact Assessment Act
• 4. The Land Use Act
• 5. Harmful Waste (Special Criminal Provisions) Act
• 6. Hydrocarbon Oil Refineries Act
• 7. Associated Gas re-injection Act
• 8. The Endangered Species Act
• 9. Sea Fisheries Act
• 10. Nigerian Mining Corporation Act
• 11. Quarantine Act
• 12. River Basins Development Authority Act
• 13. Oil Pipelines Act
• 14. Petroleum Act
• 15. Petroleum Products and Distribution (Management Board) Act

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• 16. Territorial Waters Act
• 17. Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act
• 18. National Environmental Standards and Regulations  Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Act
• 19. Pest Control of Production (special powers) Act
• 20. Hides and Skins Act
• 21. Federal National Park Act
• 22. Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act.
• 23. Agricultural (Control of Importation) Act
• 24. Animal Diseases (control) Act
• 25. Bees (Impact Control and Management) Act
• 26. Civil Aviation Act
• 27. Factories Act
• 28. Water Resources Act  

Read Also: Corporate Social Responsibility In Nigeria (CSR)

For the effective clean up of states in Nigeria,the government has created agencies and authorities both at the federal and state level. 

Some of the solid waste management firms across Nigeria include:- Lagos State Waste Management Authority(LAWMA),Benue State Environmental Sanitation etc.