Assessment of the Environmental Regulatory Framework of the Mining Sector

In Nigeria, up to now mining activities
have systematically escaped environmental control. In 1989,
the Government of Nigeria issue the document "national
policy on the environment", which was revised in 1999
in response to the advances in knowledge and the need of
integrating development issues concerning all sectors of the
economy. The new environmental policy goals followed the
sustained development principles of conserving and using
natural resources for the benefit of present and future
generations, and ensure an adequate environmental quality
for good health and well being of the population.
Recognizing the sectoral potential to cause serious
environmental degradation, strategies regarding the
implementation of policy directives in mining development
included mandatory preventive environmental impact
assessment (EIA), minimization of environmental damages and
risks, prescription of regulation and standards specific for
mining wastes, and promotion of legal small-scale mining
activities. None of them has yet been fully put into
practice. Although the EIA decree has been in force since
1992, only a year ago a mining project has prepared an EIA
study and applied for an environmental certificate.
Development of environmental regulations, mining effluent
and waste management standards have just been included as an
activity of the SMMR Project, following the provisions of
the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Law recently approved
(February 2007).