The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) is enhancing its collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to improve public awareness and deliver early warnings to prevent environmental disasters across Nigeria.
Speaking at a press conference on the agency’s achievements over the past year, NESREA’s Director General, Dr. Innocent Barikor, highlighted the ongoing efforts to expand awareness campaigns nationwide.
“In addition to our sensitization activities conducted by Zonal and State Field Officers, we are strengthening our engagement with NOA to leverage its offices in all 774 Local Government Areas and mobilize communities on critical environmental issues,” Barikor stated.
He acknowledged that many existing environmental regulations have become outdated and fail to address emerging challenges. To address this, NESREA has initiated a review and amendment of key regulations, including the National Environmental (Permitting and Licensing Systems) Regulations 2009 and the National Environmental (International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora) Regulations 2011. These have undergone the necessary processes and are ready for gazetting. Additionally, the National Environmental (Battery Sector Control) Regulations 2024 has been gazetted, while new regulations on plastic waste control are in development.
“These regulations aim to improve air quality, environmental conservation, and reduce exposure to hazardous substances,” Barikor noted. “Over the past year, we have issued about 878 environmental permits covering air quality, waste management, and toxic substances to various facilities.”
NESREA has also upgraded its operational offices to enhance efficiency. “We have unbundled our offices across multiple states, including three in Lagos and one each in Ogun, Nasarawa, Anambra, Kaduna, Niger, and Kano. This restructuring is designed to improve responsiveness and service delivery,” he added.
Looking ahead to 2025, Barikor emphasized the priority of upgrading NESREA’s three reference laboratories to enhance their capabilities. “Standardizing these laboratories will ensure optimal performance and generate reliable environmental data, which is crucial for assessing impacts and prosecuting environmental crimes.”
Reaffirming NESREA’s commitment to the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Barikor called on Nigerians to support environmental protection efforts. “We cannot achieve this alone. I urge all citizens to act as environmental watchdogs by reporting infractions and promoting sustainable practices.”
