Stakeholders drawn from public and private sectors on Tuesday converged on the nation’s capital, Abuja to conclude the review of three critical National Environmental Regulations under United Nations Environment Programme project on, “Strengthening National Infrastructural and Human Capacity for Sound Chemicals and Waste Management in Nigeria.”
The regulations were the National Environmental (Import and Export Control) Regulations; the National Environmental (Energy Sector) Regulations, and the National Environmental (Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Soap and Detergent Manufacturing Industries) Regulations.
Addressing participants at the review, the Director General of NESREA, Prof. Innocent Barikor said the regulations align Nigeria with international environmental commitments including the Paris Climate Agreement and multilateral environmental agreements, adding that their review was also intended to keep them up to date.
“Our Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals, and Energy Sector Regulations, which have been in operation for over ten years, now require urgent review to address emerging environmental issues, overcome implementation challenges, and align with modern circular economy principles.
The evolving landscape of chemical management and energy sector developments necessitates updating these regulatory frameworks to remain effective.”
“Developing comprehensive import and export regulations has become essential to meet our international obligations under various multilateral environmental agreements and ensure Nigeria’s safety in chemical, pharmaceutical, and energy-related trade,” he added.
He pointed out that to achieve sustainability in environmental management, “industry leaders must embrace standards as innovation opportunities, government agencies must integrate regulations into planning processes, civil society organizations continue monitoring roles, academic institutions support through research, and development partners provide technical and financial support.”
The NESREA DG urged for compliance stressing, “these regulations represent economic opportunities rather than compliance burdens. They will drive innovation in cleaner technologies, position Nigerian industries as environmental leaders, enhance access to international markets, and attract responsible investors while creating employment in green economy sectors.”
Representative of UNEP, Rebecca Chudaska in her virtual remarks, congratulated stakeholders on the review while promising that UNEP will continue to support Nigeria in her efforts to strengthen legal framework for environmental protection.
Nwamaka Ejiofor
Assistant Director (Press)
12th August, 2025
