Environmental Implications of Increased Industrialization in Nigeria

Abstract

In the last fifty years, Nigeria has witnessed an increase in industrial activities. Consequently, environmental hazards are alarmingly on the increase caused mainly by increased industrial activities taking place in major cities of the federation. This paper has examined the rationale for the increase and the deleterious effect arising there from. It has been stressed in the paper that though, industrialization meets the needs of the people by raising their standard of living and boosting the nation’s social economic and political ego among the comity of nations, the activities are incongruous with the serenity of land, air and water which human beings, animals, plants and other activities depend. The paper has found that the huge industrial wastes being generated are affecting not only the living components of the environment but even non-living components like climate, water, air and structural assets. The paper has recommended ways in which such industrial activities should be pursued without causing harm to the environment: namely, recycling of wastes, strict monitoring of industrial activities by relevant authorities, insistence of government on the need for prospective industrialists to always prepare Environment Impact Assessment(EIA) document for scrutiny before granting them permission to operate as well as adequate public enlightenment on the dangers of industrial pollution in order to save the environment from destruction.