IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND LEADERSHIP RESEARCH (JPSLR )

E-ISSN 2504-883X
P-ISSN 2695 2432
VOL. 11 NO. 5 2025
DOI: 10.56201/jpslr.vol.11.no5.2025.pg97.110

---

Appraisal of Rights to Healthful Environment Under the Nigeria Constitution 1999 as Amended

Anamoji, Godspower Sam Esq, PhD

---

Abstract

This paper examines the rights to healthful environment under the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended. Human lives depended on the environment for survival; unfortunately, there are activities such as pollutions on the ecosystem which negatively impacts on the citizens’ lives, hence the need for the protection of the rights of the citizens to a clean and safe environment. Though effort tends to have been made to protect citizens’ rights to healthy environment in the Nigeria’s constitution, however, it’s not adequate as it did not expressly made it a basic right being contained in chapter 11 which are not justiciable. The constitutional provisions are vague and subjected to difficult interpretations by courts and some other shortfalls inherent in it, thereby adversely affecting citizens’ rights to effectively seek redress on their healthful environmental injustice. This paper therefore focuses on the legal framework of the Nigeria’s constitution 1999 on citizens’ access to rights to healthful environment, its adequacies and the challenges of achieving effective access to environmental justice. The paper uses doctrinal methodology which embraces books, articles, statutes and legislations in the discussion. It recommends an overhaul of the Nigeria constitution to expressly include right to healthful environment in the constitution and make environmental justice a basic fundamental human right for easy enforcement by citizens.in order to meet global best practices.

keywords:

Healthful Environment, Access to justice, Constitution, Environmental Rights, Environmental Justice

---

References:

1 The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as Amended, Chapter II, Section 20.
2 The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as Amended, Section 33 – 45.
3 National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), lecture Module II , Unit II, International Recognition of
Environmental Rights P.61
4 The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Section 36(1) and Section 36(4).
5 The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Section 6(6)(a)
6
Ladan, MT “Justice Sector Reform Imperative for Democracy. Being a paper presented at a Two-Day National
Seminar on Justice Sector Reform and the Future of Democracy in Nigeria by Centre for Socio-Legal Studies,
Abuja on January 6-8, 2012.
7 Angwe, B “Access to Justice and Protection of Rights of citizens” being a paper presented at a session of
refresher course for magistrate is on modern Judicial Practice and Procedures: Modernizing Judicial practices
and procedures, at National Judicial Institution (NJI), Abuja, on 24-28 April, 2017, Pp 3-4.
8 Bejiraj and Mcnarama J “International Access to Justice: Barriers and Solutions” (Bingham Center for Rule of
Law, report 02/2014), International Bar Association (IBA), October 2014, p.8.
9 Anamoji, G S ,“The Impact of the Nigeria Legal Aid Council on Accessibility and Quick Dispensation of Justice
in Nigeria”, Research Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies (RJHCS), VOL.10 NO 4, 2024. DOI:10562011
rihcs. VOL 10.No 4 2024, p.2 or International Institute of Academic Research and Development Journal,
available at www.iiardjournal .org
10(1981) 2 NCLR 293 at 326
11 Abdulkadir, B A, “The Rights to a Healthful Environmental in Nigeria: A Review of Alternative Pathways to
Environmental Justice in Nigeria”, Afe Babalola Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy (2014) 3:1,
P.120.
12 Simnonides, J “The Human Rights in a clean Balanced and protected Environmental” (1997) 20(1) Int’L J of
Legal Information, 20, 40, Comma Downs, A healthy and ecologically Environment: An argument for a third
Generation Right” (1991) Duke J. Comp & Int LJ. 351, 385.
13 Ibe CE and Akwa FO, Appraising the Legal Framework for Enhancing Public Access to Environmental Justice in
Nigeria (IJOLACLE 2 (2021) P. 123.
14 Bullard, R, The Quest for Environmental Justice: Human Rights and the Politics of Pollution (Sierra Club Books:
Sanfrancisco, 2005). See also, Shampiro, J, “Environmental Injustices: Conflicts & Hazards in the Niger Delta: A
Substantial Research paper submitted to the America University School of International Affairs and Natural
Resources and Sustainable Development, Washington, DC, (May 5, 2010) P.17
15 Lazarus, R “Pursing Environmental Justice: The Distributional Effects of Environmental Protection. (MCmillan
Publishers: London 2000) P.17. See also, Uwem Udok etal, “Challenges, of Access to environmental Justice in
Nigeria”. Cavendish University Law Journal, (CULJ) Vol.2, March 2023. P.8.
16 The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as Amended, Chapter II, Section 20.
17See the provisions of the Chapter II of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria1999(asamended.
18ConstitutionoftheFederalRepublicofNigeria1999(asamended)
19Ogbodo , G, ‘Environmental Protection in Nigeria: Two Decades After Koko
Incidence’(2010)15(1)AnnualSurveyofInternationalandComparativeLaw1,18.
20See.Abdulkadir A B,andSamboA
O,‘HumanRightsandEnvironmentalProtection:TheNigerianConstitutionExamined’(2009)JournalofFood,Drugan
dHealthLaw61,73.
21 Appeal No: CA/A/36/08 (Judgment delivered on 15 April 2010). See also the constitution of Nigeria 1999,
section 13
22(1981) 2 NCLR P.339
23(2002) 9 NWLR (Part 772), 222
24The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, Section 6(6)(c).
25 Unreported Suit No. FHC/2CS/573/93. Ruling was delivered on the 17th February 1997.
26(1985) 2 NWLR (Pt.8) 843
27Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, Section 6 (6) (b).
28 (Supra)
29 The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 33
30Atsegbua L. Akpotaire V and Dumowo F (2010) Environmental laws in Nigeria, 2nd ed (Lagos: Ambik press
2010) Pp.77-89. (See Ksentini, “Human Rights and the Environment, cited in Okanmah, (1997), J.A.L p53).
31(1997) 8 SCC 191
32AIR 1973 SC 1461
33 Akpambang EM, Promoting the Right to a Healthy Environment through Constitutionalism in Nigeria
(2016)(4)(3) International Journal of Environment and Pollution Research 40-61, T Okonkwo, Environmental
Constitutionalism in Nigeria: Are We There Yet? (2015)(13) The Nigeria Judicial Review 175-216.
34Dumez(Nig)Ltdv Ogboli(1972)ALLNLRP.241
35(1977)6S.C.P.109
36(1991) 6 NWLR (pt 200) 708 at 761 – 762.
37(1996) 8 NWLR 203, See also Ogugua V C I, Non-Justiciability of Chapter 11 of the Nigerian Constitution as
an Impediment to Economic Rights and Development. iiste, Vol 5 No 18, 2015. Available online at
www.iiste.org. Accessed on 20/7/24, Okeke, G N & Okeke C., The Justiciability of the Non-justiciable
Constitution Policy of Governance in Nigeria. Journal of Humanities and Social Science Research(IOSSR),
Vol.79, (2012).
38Abraham Ade Adesanya v The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
39(1989) 3 NWLR (PT 112) 653 at 666
40Fatai Williams (CJN)
41 Abdulkadir (Supra) at p.121.
42No. ACHPR/COMM/A044/1, May 27, 2002
43 The Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended,Section 12.
44(2005)AHRLR151
45Supra, p.143
46 The Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 33 to 45
47Ibid
48E.G.Orie,(2014)(n8)
49Ibid
50E. G. Orie, (2021).COVID-19 Pandemic, Migration and Human Rights Protection in Nigeria. National
OpenUniversityofNigeriaInternationalJournalofMigrationandGlobalStudies(IJMGS),1(1):133-
162.http://ijmgs.nou.edu.ng/volume-1-number-1/
51Centrefor OilPollutionWatchV.NNPC[2019]5NWLR(Pt.1666)518
52AIR 1986 SC 99. See also Anamoji G S and Pepple I E, “Access to Justice under the Nigeria Constitution 1999: Seeing
Nigeria in the eyes of other jurisdictions” International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Research (IJSSMR).
Vol.10 No.7, 2024, P.12. International Institute of Academic Research and Development in www.iiardjournals.org
53 The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 Section 24
54 South Africa Environmental Right Act 106. 1996.
55 AIR 1980 SC 1789, paras 61, 62 and 118
56AIR1978 SC597
57 The Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as Amended, Section 251(1)(n), See also the
case of Shell Petroleum Development Company Nig. Ltd. v Isaiah (2001) 11 NWLR (PT 723) 168 at 179
58Four Fishermen v Shell, Court of the Hague in the matter with case number/docket number C/09/337050/HAZA09 – 1580 of Friday Alfred Akpan & the Association with corporate personality
Vereniging Milieudefensie Vs. The legal entity organized under foreign law Royal Dutch Shell Plc & the Legal entity organized under foreign law Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd.
59Eloamaka C O,Accessing the Role of Courts in Enhancing Access to Environmental Justice in Oil
Pollution matters in Nigeria, African Journal of International and Comparative Law 2812 (2020) p.214,
p.213. Also, www.euppublishing.con/ajiclaccessed on 09/08/2024
60(1974) 6 S C 119. See also Ejama-Ebubu Community v Royal Dutch Shell, Eloamaka. C O,“Assessing the
Role of Courts in Enhancing Access to Environmental. Justice in Nigeria”. African Journal of International
and Comparative Law 2812 (2020) p.213. Also, www.euppublishing.con/ajiclaccessed on 09/08/2024
61The Legal Aid Act 2011. Also the legal Aid offices are located in capital cities with little or no enlightenment
of its existence, importance to the poor and vulnerable persons with regard to access to justice.Section 8
62S P D C LTD v ANARE (2015) LPER 24750 (SC)
63 Friends of the Earth International, “Access to environmental justice in Nigeria: the case of Environmental
Court of Justice” 2016, p8. ww

DOWNLOAD PDF

---

Back