Oil Pollution Prevention in Nigeria: A Lesson to Learn from Other Jurisdictions

Abstract

In Nigeria just like any other country of the world where oil and gas are produced, there are legislations put in place to control if not prevent the menace of pollution by oil and gas.  Despite this, there are problems with the legislations as well as institutions in place in this regard ranging from lack of enforceability of the laws to that of weak institutions to enforce the laws among other things. This article therefore poised to compare the legal and institutional framework for the prevention of oil pollution in a chosen oil and gas jurisdictions.  The legal and institutional framework for the prevention and control of oil and gas pollution in these countries were compared with the position in Nigeria.  The article therefore analysed the efficacy or otherwise of the extant Nigeria legislations and institutions vis-í -vis that of the jurisdictions under review in respect to the control.  At the end it was discovered that the Nigerian oil pollution legislations as well as the institutions are ineffective, lack enforceability and weak and therefore cannot sufficiently withstand the negative impact of oil exploration and production on the environment.  The research thus made a case for an effective viable, adequate and comprehensive body of legislation, as well as proactive institutions to deal with the menace of oil and gas pollution in Nigeria.