The Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) has urged the National Assembly to expedite the passage of the Environmental, Social, and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) Bill 2025 to replace the outdated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act of 2004.

Executive Director of GIFSEP, Dr. Michael T. David, made the call in a goodwill message to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary, stressing that the proposed legislation has already scaled first reading at the House of Representatives.

He noted that the Bill, sponsored by the Chair and Deputy Chair of the House Committee on Environment, is crucial to modernising Nigeria’s regulatory framework and prioritising communities in environmental governance.
“At independence in 1960, Nigeria’s environment was largely intact: vast forests, thriving mangroves in the Niger Delta, clean rivers, low industrial pollution, and a population of just 45 million. Today, with over 220 million people and decades of unchecked industrialisation, oil extraction, urban sprawl, and poor governance, our natural heritage is under severe threat,” David observed.

He described the current EIA Act as weak and inadequate to address the complex realities of modern environmental challenges, stressing that the ESHIA Bill is designed to fill these gaps.
“The Bill will ensure that all major projects—whether in mining, oil and gas, or infrastructure—undergo rigorous assessments that factor in environmental, health, and social impacts,” he said.
“It provides for free, prior, and informed consent, enforces strong penalties for violations, restructures oversight bodies for better compliance, and integrates disaster risk reduction into development planning.”

David added that passing the ESHIA Bill is essential for protecting lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems.
“After 65 years of independence, Nigeria deserves a law that addresses present realities and safeguards our future,” he stated.