Professionals and advocates, including members of the media and other important players in the environmental community have applauded the House of Representatives Committee on Environment for its historic success in seeing the Environmental Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) Bill through its first reading before the floor of the House.

According to the group that convened on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, the introduction of the bill represents a significant step toward ensuring that development in the country is sustainable, inclusive, and responsible.

It is critical to understand that economic development should not be at the expense of environmental degradation or social displacement. Instead, the environmental rights activists think that measures that support sustainability, safeguard marginalised populations, and improve public health should direct development.

Everyone who spoke at the event said they hope that when the bill becomes law, it will provide tighter mechanisms for assessing how projects harm local ecosystems and communities and safeguard both people and nature from the adverse effects of unchecked development.

Beginning of the journey

Concerned about the outdated framework of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act of 1992, a group of environmental rights advocates, comprising the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), OXFAM in Nigeria, and the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP), organised a high-level national dialogue in Abuja on Thursday, December 5, 2024, to discuss the EIA Act, specifically how to help it reflect modern ecological and socioeconomic realities.

In addition to its obsolete structure, the various stakeholders identified other flaws in the Act that the proposed legislative framework must address, such as weak enforcement mechanisms, a lack of meaningful local participation in environmental decision-making processes, and the failure to address new issues like biodiversity loss and climate change.

Stakeholders’ perspectives on the passage of the bill

“We are super excited; it is big history, and we felt that a milestone like this should not be quiet. That Nigerians should know about it,” Dr. Michael Terngwa David, Executive Director of GIFSEP, said in his remarks at the occasion.

In summarising the purpose of the visit, David, the delegation’s leader, hinted that it was to congratulate the committee on a job well done and reaffirm their commitment to supporting the discourse that began since last year.

According to him, 1992 was 33 years ago, and a lot has happened since then. Considering this, it is undeniable that the Act is no longer appropriate, which is why the ESHIA bill’s first hearing passage is seen as a landmark victory for the environment.

While the adoption of thes bill is encouraging, he noted that his team expects to begin legislative advocacy for it so that, once implemented, it would serve as a legal framework and ensure that all projects in Nigeria are thoroughly examined to mitigate risks and maximise benefits.

“We commend your work, we see what you are doing, and we appreciate it,” the GIFSEP boss stated with a smile on his face, as he went on to explain that it is an achievement that deserves international recognition, which he believes will come as time goes on.

Similarly, Oxfam’s Project Coordinator for Climate Justice in Nigeria, Kenneth Akpan, said the bill’s passage was a significant accomplishment for his organisation, which places a high value on justice, equity, fairness, and inclusivity in all that it does.

In his opinion, the bill could not have arrived at a better moment; in fact, it seems as though it has been there since yesterday. This is because, when considering the actual situation in Nigeria, the bill tackles the underlying causes of numerous problems that the country has, particularly with regard to project execution.

As Nigeria grapples with the issue of how to close the gaps and loopholes in the EIA Act, Akpan, like the previous speaker, believes that this process necessitates rigorous advocacy, engaging people, and inclusiveness to ensure that every stakeholder is involved so that they can take ownership and begin to act on behalf of the government.

“So for us, it is a big feat, and we are going to do everything from our side to support this very timely bill and see that it comes to a very good conclusion,” he asserts, praising the committee for making this very significant occasion, as well as the media for also becoming involved in the campaign.

“It is very important, because taking the message out is also key to bringing it into light,” he added.

Nicholas Adeniyi, the climate change project officer at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), hailed the committee members for their dedication since the campaign to review the Act began.

He said that the bill establishes the groundwork for environmental audit and preservation, particularly the newly incorporated health aspect, which he admitted would aid in addressing various socioeconomic challenges across the country.

“We are very proud of the work that you are doing, and at CJID, we are committed to seeing this through, he said.

As he welcomed the delegation on behalf of the committee, Terseer Ugbor, Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, highlighted that the goal of the bill is to broaden the Act beyond environmental impact assessment to include social and health impacts.

He said this is significant since Nigeria is looking into new mining and renewable energy sectors to boost its economy, which has a significant environmental impact on the host communities and their residents.

For instance, he brought attention to the type of contamination that occurs in the mining industry.

Therefore, while Nigeria’s mining industry continues to grow and contribute to the country’s economy, Ugbor stated that it is imperative to consider the effects of mining on the local communities where these operations are happening.

The lawmaker hinted that the committee is taking this action to avoid Nigeria’s experience in the oil and gas sector, which has resulted in several oil spills and pollution in the Niger Delta region.

“It is our hope that with this new bill, companies that are into mining and installation of renewable energy equipment take into account the health and environmental implications of their activities,” he said.

Ugbor, who is representing the good people of Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency of Benue State, assured that the committee would call for a public hearing on the bill for inputs after its second reading on the floor of the House before it final adoption.

In actuality, achieving Nigeria’s sustainability goals requires modernising the EIA Act. By addressing its current issues, the country can better protect its ecosystems, manage its natural resources, and slow environmental degradation.

By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja