Abstract
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, provides via Section 20, seemingly, salient obligations on environmental protection. Consequently, the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (1992), the Petroleum Act (1969) and the Petroleum Industry Act (2021), constitute the Legal Framework on the application of the EIA on petroleum projects. The landmark legislation (E.I.A.) makes it mandatory for petroleum projects to undergo the EIA processs, however, eenvironmental degradation and public health impairments arising from petroleum projects whose approvals were purportedly obtained under the EIA Act are an index of the failings of the implementation of the EIA legislation and regulators. These problems have given rise to violent agitations in the oil- bearing communities in Nigeria, in asserting their rights to a healthy and unpolluted environment. The article is thus an analysis of the applicability and implementation of the Environmental Impact Assessment Act on petroleum projects in Nigeria, it advocates for compelling compliance and enforcement via review and restructuring of the legislation and regulators respectively.
Lilly-Tariah P. Abbiba (PhD), pp 22 – 29
