Anambra State in southeastern Nigeria has announced the full enforcement of its newly enacted Environmental Management, Protection and Administration Law 2024, a comprehensive environmental regulation framework set to take effect on 24 November 2025.
The move marks the state’s most ambitious step to curb erosion, improve public sanitation, and strengthen climate resilience.
Speaking at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat in Awka, the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Felix Odimegwu, said the implementation follows a year-long sensitisation campaign, public education drive and extensive stakeholder engagement across the state.
He described the law as a decisive response to the worsening environmental challenges confronting Anambra, particularly erosion, flooding, and indiscriminate waste disposal.
To drive the enforcement, the government has inaugurated a multi-agency task force comprising the Ministry of Environment’s Enforcement Unit, Environmental Health Officers, ASWAMA (Anambra State Waste Management Authority), the OCHA Brigade (Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra), the Erosion, Watershed and Climate Change Agency (ANSEWCCA), and Forest Guards.
The team is empowered to seal premises, issue violation notices, arrest offenders, and suspend business permits.
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Dr. Odimegwu outlined broad areas where enforcement will be applied “fully, firmly, and without exception”:
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): All public and private projects—residential, commercial, industrial, or infrastructural—must obtain EIA clearance before commencement. Non-compliance will attract fines, prosecution, or shutdown.
- Stormwater and Runoff Management:
The state will implement a Zero Surface Runoff Rule. Every building must install catchment pits, water sumps, flood drains, wetlands or rainwater harvesting systems to prevent stormwater discharge onto roads or neighbouring properties. - Drainage Setbacks and Infrastructure:
Developers and landlords must adhere to mandatory setback regulations, including the three-metre setback from drainage alignments. - Poor drainage designs that cause flooding will result in penalties, and developers will be responsible for repair costs.
- Landscaping and Green Space Requirements: Every property must maintain at least 50 percent green area through grassing and tree planting to reduce heat, lower runoff and enhance urban aesthetics. Violations may lead to sealing of properties and fines.
- Wastewater, Sewage and Effluent Control: Facilities serving more than 50 people—including markets, hotels, schools, estates and abattoirs, must obtain wastewater clearance and connect to approved sewage systems. Raw discharge into drains or water bodies is now prohibited and punishable.
- Waste Management and Sanitation:
Illegal dumping and open burning of refuse are banned statewide. Households and businesses must provide standard waste receptacles and dispose of waste only at designated sites. - Sand Mining and Earth-Disturbing Activities: Irresponsible excavation near erosion-prone areas or natural drainage channels will be shut down. Operators will face prosecution and bear remediation costs.
- Shanties and Roadside Structures:
All illegal kiosks, abandoned vehicles, makeshift structures and attachments obstructing roads, drainages or setbacks must be removed. - Regulation of Sand Trucks:
All haulage vehicles transporting sand must operate within approved weight limits and properly cover their loads.
ASWAMA Managing Director Engr. Mike Ozoemena warned that the “era of waste indiscipline is over,” emphasising that refuse dumping at unauthorised locations will no longer be tolerated.
He urged residents to maintain clean premises and use approved waste bins to support efficient waste evacuation.
Door-to-door Inspections
The Managing Director of the OCHA Brigade, Comrade Celestine Anere, said the Brigade will conduct door-to-door inspections to verify compliance with waste and sanitation requirements.
He cautioned against assaulting enforcement officers and notified car wash operators that they must obtain ministry approval specifying proper catchment and wastewater systems.
ANSEWCCA Director-General Prof. Philip Phil-Eze raised alarm over Anambra’s escalating erosion crisis, describing the state as “the erosion capital of the world.” He linked uncontrolled waste disposal and blocked drainages to accelerated gully formation, urging residents to adopt responsible disposal practices and comply with EIA rules to mitigate risks.
Commissioner Odimegwu appealed to residents, community leaders, market unions, developers and construction firms to support the enforcement drive. He stressed that environmental protection is a collective responsibility and essential for securing the state’s future.
“This enforcement is not punitive,” he said. “It is protective, designed to safeguard lives, prevent flooding, control erosion, enhance sanitation, and build a clean, orderly, climate-resilient Anambra State.”
The Ministry encouraged the public to contact designated agencies to report violations or seek clarification on compliance requirements.
Lateefah Ibrahim