A CRITICAL HUMAN RIGHTS AIDITS OF NIGERIA’S CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION POLICIES: GAPS AND PATHWAYS

Abstract

Drawing on an analysis of Nigeria’s domestic drivers of environmental degradation such as oil spills, gas flaring, deforestation, and unsustainable land-use practices, this paper situates the country’s contribution to global greenhouse-gas emissions within broader patterns of weak environmental governance. It further examines Nigeria’s obligations under international and domestic law and reveals a persistent gap between ambitious climate commitments and inadequate implementation. The paper demonstrates that climate change in Nigeria deepens socio-economic vulnerabilities, threatening fundamental human rights through food and water insecurity, loss of livelihoods, environmental displacement, and disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities. In evaluating the institutional responses, including the creation of the National Council on Climate Change under the Climate Change Act 2021, the paper identifies structural obstacles such as weak enforcement, insufficient funding, and limited technological capacity. It proposes targeted reforms which include comprehensive land-use planning, investment in climate research, the development of a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) system, and the strengthening of climate-related agencies such as NiMET, NIHSA, and NEMA. The study further recommends leveraging advanced technologies, including satellite monitoring, geospatial analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, to enhance climate-policy implementation. The paper concludes that achieving climate justice in Nigeria requires a paradigm shift from mere aspirational environmental governance to a legally enforceable, rights-based climate-action model. It contends that only a coordinated effort by government institutions, the judiciary, civil society, and international partners can ensure the protection of human rights and environmental sustainability in the face of an intensifying climate crisis