Dr. Innocent Barikor, the Director General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), has issued a firm warning to facilities across Nigeria to rectify compliance gaps in their operations or face severe penalties. The warning follows a nationwide compliance monitoring exercise, revealing widespread non-compliance with environmental regulations.
Barikor expressed serious concern over facilities discharging untreated effluents and operating without essential environmental documentation, including Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) and Environmental Audits. He emphasized that such practices violate the law and damage the environment. Since the beginning of the year, NESREA has shut down 75 non-compliant facilities.
Barikor reiterated NESREA’s commitment to rigorous enforcement and urged facilities to comply with regulations to protect Nigeria’s environment. NESREA oversees 36 National Environmental Regulations aimed at ensuring industrial activities are environmentally sustainable.
