Policy without Power: Analyzing Political Economy and Financial Constraints on Nigeria's Environmental Governance Framework (2016)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56778/rjslr.v4i1.624Keywords:
National policy on the environment, sustainable development, implementation gaps, climate finance, institutional quality, Nigeria.Abstract
The national policy on the environment (NPE), revised in 2016, represents Nigeria's foundational blueprint for sustainable environmental management. However, a significant "policy-practice gap" persists as comprehensive regulatory frameworks coexist with escalating ecological degradation. This study critically evaluates the evolution and efficacy of the NPE (2016), focusing on the institutional, financial, and political-economic constraints that impede its implementation. The research employed a qualitative longitudinal policy analysis, examining three core policy iterations (1989, 1999, and 2016), complemented by a systematic review of secondary data from peer-reviewed literature and institutional reports up to 2025 to triangulate policy goals against real-world outcomes. The findings indicate that while the NPE (2016) aligns with over 80% of global environmental treaties, its implementation is stifled by a 40-60% shortfall in domestic climate budgetary allocations. Institutional quality remains low due to overlapping mandates among three major federal agencies, leading to a fragmented enforcement landscape. Furthermore, systemic failures in political economy have resulted in a persistent 15-20% annual increase in unregulated industrial pollution and a slow response to desertification, which now affects approximately 35% of Nigeria's total land mass. The study concludes that the NPE (2016) remains a "policy without power" due to fiscal neglect and institutional inertia. Bridging this gap requires a mandatory 10-15% increase in domestic climate finance and the establishment of a unified enforcement task force to translate aspirational goals into measurable environmental resilience.
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