The Federal Government of Nigeria has raised the alarm over the growing burden of respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular conditions, and other environmental-related diseases linked to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the country.
Minister of Environment, Mr. Balarabe Lawal, disclosed this on Monday, February 2, 2026, in Abuja at a stakeholders’ engagement on the National Emergency Response to Environment-Related Diseases Arising from Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
The meeting was organised by the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON).
Lawal, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Mahmud Kambari, said evidence from environmental surveillance, health statistics, and peer assessments presents a clear and disturbing picture of the health burden posed by greenhouse gas emissions.
“Respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular conditions, and other environmentally linked diseases are rising. What we are facing today is no longer solely an environmental issue but a public health emergency.
“The burden of disease associated with poor environmental quality is increasing faster than our health system can accommodate.
“Families are spending more on treatment, workforce productivity is declining, and environmental degradation continues to undermine our development goals,” he said.
Lawal noted that the absence of a coordinated national framework to systematically address environmental health risks linked to greenhouse gas emissions has further deepened the challenge.
Based on these concerns, he said the ministry, in partnership with EHCON and key stakeholders, considered the declaration of a public health emergency on environmental-related diseases as urgent and necessary.
According to him, the Federal Government has therefore activated the National Emergency Response Initiative on Environmental Public Health Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (NERI-EPHIGGE).
He explained that the initiative represents a strategic and coordinated national framework designed to deliver both immediate and long-term interventions through strengthened environmental health regulations and enforcement.
“It also entails the nationwide establishment of environmental health surveillance and response units, promotion of cleaner energy, sustainable industrial practices, low-emission transport systems, as well as robust public awareness and behaviour change campaigns,” Lawal said.
He assured that the ministry would continue to work closely with state governments, relevant departments, development partners, and civil society organisations to ensure that environmental protection efforts translate into measurable public health outcomes.
“I emphasise that this responsibility does not rest on government alone. It demands collective action from regulatory bodies, industries, and the transport and energy sectors.
“The cost of inaction is greater than the cost of intervention. The science is clear, the health evidence is undeniable, the risks are immediate, and the time to act is now,” he said.
Lawal therefore called on all stakeholders to lend their full support to the implementation of the national emergency response initiative and work collectively towards a cleaner environment, a healthier population, and a more sustainable Nigeria.
He commended EHCON for its foresight, professionalism, and commitment to safeguarding environmental public health, describing the engagement as timely as stakeholders unite to confront the growing public health consequences of greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution.
“Nigeria, like many rapidly developing nations, is experiencing accelerated urbanisation, industrial expansion, rising energy demand, and intensified transportation activities.
“These are indicators of economic growth and modernisation. However, they have also resulted in a troubling increase in environmental pollutants, particularly greenhouse gases, which have both direct and indirect impacts on human health,” he said.
Meanwhile, EHCON has reiterated its commitment to implementing the National Emergency Response Initiative on Environmental Public Health Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (NERI-EPHIGGE) across the country.
Dr Yakubu Baba, Registrar of EHCON, who made this submission, explained that the NERI-EPHIGGE framework provides a structured, coordinated, and results-driven approach to addressing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Baba decried that environmental-related diseases linked to GHG emissions remain one of Nigeria’s most pressing yet under-recognised public health challenges.
“Immediate and coordinated action is essential to prevent further loss of lives and safeguard national development,” he said.
He outlined key pillars of EHCON’s implementation plan, including the nationwide deployment of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) to all 774 local government areas and six area councils of the FCT.
These practitioners are expected to serve as frontline agents for environmental health surveillance, compliance monitoring, and community risk communication.
Baba added that the council would collaborate with other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to roll out mandatory emissions testing, environmental health compliance certification, and standardised reporting mechanisms for industries and transport operators.
“EHCON will operationalise environmental health surveillance and response units to monitor emission-related health risks, conduct routine environmental inspections, collect and report real-time data, and support emergency environmental health interventions,” he said.
He noted that the council will work closely with the Federal Ministry of Environment, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Federal Ministries of Health and Transportation, State Ministries of Environment, and Local Government Environmental Health Departments.
He added that continuous training and professional development for EHPs will ensure they are equipped with modern surveillance tools, digital data collection systems, advanced risk assessment skills, and effective community engagement strategies.
Baba said the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, national environmental regulations, the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Sustainable Development Goals, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He stressed that EHCON is ready to lead the technical implementation, working with all stakeholders to safeguard Nigerians’ health and protect the environment.
The registrar explained that the engagement was convened to present findings from extensive field surveillance, environmental health assessments, and stakeholder consultations conducted by EHCON as part of its statutory mandate.
“We have observed a rising burden of environmental-related diseases linked to greenhouse gas emissions.
“These pollutants not only harm our environment but directly endanger the health, productivity, and livelihoods of Nigerians. This engagement is not merely a meeting, it is a national call to action,” he said.
Dr Samuel Akingbehin, National President of the Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners of Nigeria, assured the council of the association’s readiness to collaborate in bridging government policy with grassroots implementation for a safer, healthier country.
Mr. Obriki Juliano, Chief Executive Officer of Oxytane Africa Investment Ltd, said the organisation is mandated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel efficiency across the transportation, power, and industrial sectors.
He pledged commitment to work with EHCON and relevant agencies to minimise emissions and ensure a safer society.
By Felicia Imohimi