By Tosin Opeyemi 
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Environment was created in 1999 to address environmental-related concerns and ensure the conservation of natural resources.
The ministry has seven agencies and 14 departments that assist in the implementation of its core mandate to formulate policies and curb the issues of desertification and deforestation.
Official Social Media Handles
- X: x.com/FMEnvng
- Facebook: facebook.com/FMEnvng
- Instagram: instagram.com/FMEnvng
- Official site: henvironment.gov.ng
The agencies that assist the ministry in the management of floods, climate change, and clean energy, among other areas, include the National Park Service (NPS), the Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON), and the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN).
Other agencies include the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), and the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).
Ministers of Environment from 1999 to Date
- Bala Mohammed Mande: 2003 to 2005
- Iyorchia Ayu: June 2005 to December 2005
- Helen Esuene: January 2006 to January 2007
- Halima Tayo Alao: July 26, 2007 to October 29, 2008
- John Odey: December 17, 2008 to March 2010
- Laurentia Mallam: 2014 to 2015
- Amina Mohammed: November 11, 2015 to December 15, 2016
- Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar: 2019 to 2021
- Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi: April 6, 2022 to May 29, 2023
- Balarabe Abbas Lawal: October 9, 2023 to Date
Agencies
Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON)
The Environmental Health Council of Nigeria is an agency of the Ministry of Environment that issues licenses, regulates, and maintains an official registry of environmental health professionals across Nigeria.
The agency also sets the required knowledge and skill standards practitioners must possess to work in environmental health.
Furthermore, in the area of hazard control, EHCON manages pest control, food hygiene, and occupational safety. In terms of quality enforcement, it oversees environmental sanitation, waste management, and water safety, among other roles.
Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN)
The Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria conducts research on sustainable forest management, forest product development, biodiversity conservation, and environmental protection.
It also provides technical advice, extension services, and policy support to improve natural resource management and the maintenance of national biological assets, such as the Forest Herbarium Ibadan (FHI) and insect museums.
National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW)
The roles of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall include reclaiming degraded land, implementing modern planting techniques, and ensuring that ecosystems adapt to climate change.
NAGGW also plays a vital role in boosting agricultural production, enhancing food security, and generating economic opportunities in rural areas, among other responsibilities.
National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA)
The functions of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency span environmental impact assessments (EIA) and policies on waste disposal.
It also holds the mandate to prosecute individuals or groups engaged in illegal wildlife trade in Nigeria, as Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA)
Created in 2006, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency is tasked with the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP).
NOSDRA ensures compliance with Nigeria’s commitments as a signatory to the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC, 1990). It achieves this by focusing on building conformity with environmental legislation in the Nigerian petroleum sector.
The core mandate of the agency focuses on oil-producing states—such as Rivers, Ondo, Delta, and Akwa Ibom, among others—where oil spillage and pollution are prevalent.
These oil-producing states are high-risk areas designated for protection and effective clean-up with the aid of a baseline Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) map. The agency’s environmental compliance monitoring role covers both the midstream and downstream sectors.
National Park Service (NPS)
The core mandates of the National Park Service (NPS) include managing national parks, controlling dangerous species, and protecting endangered species—such as guarding rare wild animals, plants, and their natural habitats from destruction.
In addition, the National Park Service ensures that park borders are delineated and establishes buffer zones to prevent unauthorised encroachment. It also educates the general public on nature conservation.
National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA)
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) was established in April 2015 to serve as the regulatory body guiding modern biotechnology activities in Nigeria. It establishes and enforces biosecurity protocols guiding biotechnology activities, providing access to the safe, ethical, and beneficial use of biotechnological products, among other duties.
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