Policy-Practice Gap in Nigeria's Upstream Petroleum Environmental Governance: Evidence from Regulatory Effectiveness, Environmental Outcomes and Reporting Systems

Ekeh Lawrence Chinagorom, Mohammed Jibril, Okeke Macanthony, Osa-Afiana Awele

Abstract


Nigeria has one of the most elaborate environmental governance frameworks in Africa’s petroleum sector, built on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) Act, and the Upstream Environmental Guidelines and Standards for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria (UEGASPIN). Yet despite this regulatory architecture, oil spills, gas flaring, ecosystem degradation and community grievances persist across the upstream petroleum industry. This study examines the policy-practice gap in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum environmental governance using a convergent mixed-methods approach that draws on survey data (n = 142), documentary analysis, and environmental performance records. The analysis combines descriptive statistics, reliability analysis (Cronbach’s alpha), Pearson correlation, and one-way ANOVA with thematic analysis and triangulation of secondary datasets. The findings reveal a clear disconnect between policy design and implementation: legislative clarity scored 3.92/5.00, while enforcement consistency reached only 3.20/5.00; a measurable governance gap. Environmental outcomes posted the lowest overall score (2.96/5.00), and reporting transparency exposed striking divisions between stakeholder groups (industry: 3.76 vs. community: 2.43; F = 53.59, p < 0.001). The paper concludes that Nigeria’s environmental governance system is formally sophisticated but operationally weak, and traces the policy-practice gap to three interconnected deficits: enforcement, reporting integrity, and institutional capacity. 


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