Placing the Rule of Law and Environmental Justice in the Resource-Conflict Nexus in Nigeria

Book chapter


Ekhator, E. and Agbaitoro, G. 2023. Placing the Rule of Law and Environmental Justice in the Resource-Conflict Nexus in Nigeria. in: Okoi, O. and Nalule, V. R. (ed.) Governing Natural Resources for Sustainable Peace in Africa: Environmental Justice and Conflict Resolution Abingdon, Oxfordshire Routledge.
AuthorsEkhator, E. and Agbaitoro, G.
EditorsOkoi, O. and Nalule, V. R.
Abstract

Using Nigeria as a case study, this chapter analyses some of the protracted natural resource conflicts and their impact on the economy and environment in Africa. In many parts of the
continent, the absence of the rule of law has exacerbated natural resource conflicts. This chapter relies on the environmental justice paradigm to critique the rule of law conundrum in natural resource governance in Africa. Arguably, the environmental justice paradigm can be deployed
as a strategic tool to address natural resource conflicts in Africa. Hence, this chapter argues that there are inherent limitations of simply enforcing the rule of law in African countries since governments, who are the enforcers of laws, are usually directly or indirectly involved in natural resource conflicts. Thus, we argued that guaranteeing the enforcement of the rule of law would then depend on the integration of environmental justice principles into the laws and policies governing resource extraction and use in Africa.
The chapter concludes by recommending some practical reform measures framed from the environmental justice paradigm that could be used to address the challenges associated with
natural resource conflicts in Africa. Drawing lessons from Nigeria, this chapter can be useful to other African countries as well. To achieve this, a lesson-learned approach is important. This requires broad discussions of the key reforms necessary using Nigeria as an example.

KeywordsExtractive Industry; Environmental Justice; Natural Resource Conflict; Rule of Law; Africa
Year2023
Book titleGoverning Natural Resources for Sustainable Peace in Africa: Environmental Justice and Conflict Resolution
PublisherRoutledge
Place of publicationAbingdon, Oxfordshire
ISBN9781032409917
Web address (URL)https://www.routledge.com/Governing-Natural-Resources-for-Sustainable-Peace-in-Africa-Environmental/Okoi-Nalule/p/book/9781032409917
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Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online18 Dec 2023
Publication process dates
Accepted16 Jul 2023
Deposited07 Aug 2023
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