Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has commended the Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Innocent Barikor, for what he described as remarkable achievements in strengthening environmental protection across the country.
The Minister gave the commendation during a briefing at the ministry, where the NESREA boss presented a report of the agency’s activities over the past year.
“I have been commending you because you have made a lot of impact. You have shown NESREA to be truly the police of the environment,” Lawal said.
He also called for stronger collaboration among departments and agencies under the ministry, emphasizing the need for synergy to enhance environmental governance and service delivery.
In his presentation, Prof. Barikor outlined key milestones recorded by the agency, particularly in regulating imports and enforcing environmental standards. He disclosed that NESREA processed and issued 10,804 Environmental Import Clearances, while rejecting 30 non-compliant applications, many of which involved end-of-life electronic products.
The Director-General further revealed that the agency conducted 4,894 compliance monitoring visits and inspections nationwide, investigated over 200 environmental complaints, and sealed 88 facilities for non-compliance with environmental regulations.
According to him, NESREA also reviewed and certified 2,925 Environmental Audit Reports and 1,903 Environmental Management Plans, while issuing 1,969 environmental permits to facilities.
Barikor highlighted additional achievements, including the upgrade of the National Environmental Reference Laboratory in Port Harcourt with modern equipment under the Fleming Fund Phase I initiative.
He also noted the commencement of major international projects such as the Global Environment Facility-backed programmes on circular solutions to plastic pollution in Nigeria and across Africa, as well as a Japanese government-supported initiative implemented through the United Nations Environment Programme.
The NESREA Director-General expressed appreciation to the Minister for his leadership and guidance, noting that the support has strengthened the agency’s capacity to deliver on its mandate.
The briefing was attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mahmud Adam Kambari, alongside heads of departments and agencies under the Federal Ministry of Environment.