The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) is an environmental agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria that was established by law in 2007 to “ensure a cleaner and healthier environment for Nigerians”. The agency functions as a parastatal enterprise of the Federal Ministry of Environment, and it is headed by a director general, who is also the chief executive officer of about 483 companies in the NESREA corporate family. Human activities that have negative effects on the environment are covered by NESREA’s 33 National Environmental Regulations. The agency’s authority includes process and equipment monitoring, compliance with set standards, disciplining violators of set rules, conducting public investigations, and submission of proposals to the minister for review in order to maintain environmental quality.
NESREA has recorded several achievements in the area of environmental compliance, monitoring, and enforcement since its establishment, including the enactment of several regulations pertaining to environmental protection, monitoring of environmental compliance, and enforcement actions.
The act establishing NESREA was amended in 2018 to accommodate changes in the conditions of appointment of council members, stiffer penalties for defaulters, and other related matters.
History
The need for public institutions addressing environmental issues in Nigeria became a necessity in the aftermath of the 1988 toxic waste affair in Koko. This prompted the government,[original research?] led by President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, to promulgate Decree 58 of 1988, establishing the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) as the country’s environmental watchdog.
The functions of FEPA were folded into the structures of the Federal Ministry of Environment, which is the policy-making body for environmental matters in Nigeria. However, it became apparent that there was a need for tighter regulation to address the country’s environmental challenges, including desertification, rapid deforestation, coastal and gully erosion, poor environmental sanitation, air pollution and electronic waste. Furthermore, the global movement towards sustainable development in the aftermath of the Millennium Summit and the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and Nigeria’s leadership in regional developmental programmes such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), enhanced environmental awareness among the country’s decision-makers.
NESREA was established in 2007 by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency Act (No. 20 of 2007). The act charges the agency with responsibility for protecting and developing the environment in Nigeria. Passed by the National Assembly of Nigeria and signed by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the law gave the new agency jurisdiction over:
the protection and development of the environment, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development of Nigeria’s natural resources in general and environmental technology including coordination, and liaison with, relevant stakeholders within and outside Nigeria on matters of enforcement of environmental standards, regulations, rules, laws, policies and guidelines.
Source: Wikipedia
Some functions of the Agency are to:
- enforce compliance with laws, guidelines, policies and standards on environmental matters;
- coordinate and liaise with, stakeholders, within and outside Nigeria on matters of environmental standards, regulations and enforcement;
- enforce compliance with the provisions of international agreements, protocols, conventions and treaties on the environment including climate change, biodiversity conservation, desertification, forestry, oil and gas, chemicals, hazardous wastes, ozone depletion, marine and wild life, pollution, sanitation and such other environmental agreements as may from time to time come into force;
- enforce compliance with policies, standards, legislation and guidelines on water quality, Environmental Health and Sanitation, including pollution abatement;
- enforce compliance with guidelines, and legislation on sustainable management of the ecosystem, biodiversity conservation and the development of Nigeria’s natural resources;
- enforce compliance with any legislation on sound chemical management, safe use of pesticides and disposal of spent packages thereof;
- enforce compliance with regulations on the importation, exportation, production, distribution, storage, sale, use, handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals and waste, other than in the oil and gas sector;
- enforce through compliance monitoring, the environmental regulations and standards on noise, air, land, seas, oceans and other water bodies other than in the oil and gas sector;
- ensure that environmental projects funded by donor organizations and external support agencies adhere to regulations in environmental safety and protection;
- enforce environmental control measures through registration, licensing and permitting Systems other than in the oil and gas sector;
- conduct environmental audit and establish data bank on regulatory and enforcement mechanisms of environmental standards other than in the oil and gas sector;
- create public awareness and provide environmental education on sustainable environmental management, promote private sector compliance with environmental regulations other than in the oil and gas sector and publish general scientific or other data resulting from the performance of its functions; and carry out such activities as are necessary or expedient for the performance of its functions.
For more info, visit www.nesrea.gov.ng
