ISSUE-4 (October - December 2025)
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| Paper Type | : | Research Paper |
| Title | : | Flood Risks, Environmental Regulation and Sustainable Land Management in The Niger Delta: Pathways to Resilient Development |
| Page/Article No | : | 1-15 Article no.: 066 |
| Authors | : | Nyeduko Victoria Nneoma 1 & Awori Sime Onisobilemen 2 |
| Publication Date | : | 03/10/2025 |
| Department | : | Department of Geography and Environmental Studies |
| : | View more |
Abstract: The Niger Delta area in Nigeria, with its vast wetlands and rivers, has substantial hydrocarbons. However, the area has been getting floods frequently, and the damage to human being, infrastructure and environment are massive. Vulnerability refers to the over-exposure arising from weak enforcement, fragmentation of institutional roles, as well as chaotic urban expansion, despite the existence of the regulatory framework of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), Land Use Act and NESREA oversight. The purpose of the study was to assess the connection between flood risk, environmental regulation, and sustainable land management in the Niger Delta. High-risk areas have been assessed for their relationship to oil and gas infrastructures, human settlements and natural features through a range of geospatial tools such as GIS based flood risk mapping, land-use/land-cover (LULC) analysis and documents review. The results indicate that areas affected by flooding are strongly linked with informal settlements, oil pipelines, and degraded wetlands, pointing to a lack of governance and planning issues. The research indicates that if GIS spatial analysis is coupled with functional environmental regulation and community-based land management, resilience to repetitive flooding will be strengthened. The recommendation broadens policies by calling for clarity in enforcement role guidelines, floodplain zoning, wetlands restoration and mainstreaming climate resilience. The findings of this research provide technical insights and policy insights that are useful for the development of integrated flood risk management frameworks for sustainable development in the Niger Delta
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| Paper Type | : | Research Paper |
| Title | : | Incorporating Land-Use Planning into Nigeria's Energy Transition: A Spatial-Economic Framework for Climate-Resilient Siting and Environmental Impact Assessment Reform |
| Page/Article No | : | 16-34 Article no.: 067 |
| Authors | : | Kaaka, Fegalo J. D. 1& Awori Sime Onisobilemen 2 |
| Publication Date | : | 03/10/2025 |
| Department | : | Department of Geography and Environmental Studies |
| : | View more |
Abstract: The process of energy transition in Nigeria cannot
be thought of without a land use dynamic, resource regulation and
socio-ecological resilience. The geographical positioning of energy
infrastructure has not seen too much progress, despite the policy discussions
pertaining to the technology and funding related to it. This paper shows that
there are regulatory measures that can support the not-for-profit organisations
for development. It argues that there is a need for considering the regulatory
measure to help improve not-for-profit organisations. The analysis establishes
SEETF that integrates GIS, EIA and nature-based solutions (NbS) in order to
lessen spatial-economic institutional fragmentation, the ecological
vulnerability and community engagement. Drawing on peer reviewed literature,
government reports and interviews with key informants, the research seeks to
find the existing gaps in multi-level governance, spatial information sharing,
and participatory planning that already act as barriers to equitable energy
transitions. Due to lack of spatial coordination it has been found that
renewable energy projects are generally located in ecologically sensitive or
important areas that leads to land use conflict and biodiversity loss. In its
latest report, the SEETF suggested transforming the current zoning system into
one that combines renewable energy sources with ecological risks maps.
Integrated EIA restructuring processes, participative forums with the local
stakeholders and NbS harmonization of the siting decision-making process are
requested. A resilient framework which would make Nigeria’s climate resilient
enabling distributive justice of energy access to assure Nigerian’s net zero
goal. Essentially, it offers the policy pathway model of sub-Saharan Africa into
which sustainable energy planning land management can be integrated to ensure
that decarbonization does not come at the expense of livelihoods, equity and
ecosystem integrity.
Keywords: Land Use Planning; Energy Transition;
Spatial-Economic Framework; Climate Resilience; Environmental Impact Assessment
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