International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: International environmental laws are developed to promote environmental sustainability and mitigate severe climate change due to environmental degradation which is still a serious global issue. Nigeria has signed various key treaties such as the Paris Agreement, Kyoto Protocol, and Basel Convention, which prove its commitment to environmental governance. However, weak institutional frameworks, poor enforcement, and economic conflicts hamper effective implementation.
Objective: The study examined he implementation of the international environmental laws Nigeria has ratified and evaluates their implications on the nation’s development, environmental sustainability, and economic growth.
Method: The descriptive survey design adopted 4,000 respondents, government officials, environmental professionals, and NGO representatives within the Warri metropolis and Asaba City, Delta State were studied. Data were collected through structured and examined with descriptive as well as inferential statistics (correlation and regression analysis) of relationships between awareness, enforcement, and effectiveness. Results: The results show that 70% of respondents are aware of international environmental laws but only 45% believe that these laws are implemented. The study found that insurance funds are ill-founded (70%), policy implementation is weak (65%), policy conflicts (55%), and low stakeholder engagement (40%). The results of regression analysis demonstrated that funding (? = 0.35, p < 0.001) and awareness (? = 0.40, p < 0.001) have a significant impact on the implementation effectiveness.
Conclusion: Despite Nigeria’s ratification of key international environmental treaties, implementation and enforcement of these treaties remain vulnerable to poverty-induced budget cuts, institutional inefficiencies, and policy inconsistency. We compare South Africa and Ghana to determine he institutional capacity and policy alignments to strengthen environmental law enforcement. Recommendation: The study recommends enrichment of regulatory bodies and enforcement mechanisms for the protection of available resources for the African continent.