The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has the responsibility to enforce all environmental laws, guidelines, policies, standards and regulations in Nigeria; and to prohibit processes and the use of equipment or technology that undermine environmental quality. It also has the responsibility to enforce compliance with provisions of international agreements, protocols, conventions and treaties on the environment to which Nigeria is a signatory.

NESREA is also mandated to enforce compliance with regulations on the importation, exportation, production, distribution, storage, sale, use handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals and waste other than in the oil and gas industry. In line with this, the Agency is regulating the importation of banned and restricted chemicals and other hazardous chemical substances, as well as some designated items and equipment. This is being implemented by, among others, the issuance of Environmental Import Clearance. Items and products regulated by NESREA under the Environmental Impact Clearance regime are categorized into five broad groups:

1. Chemicals;
2. Electrical/Electronic Equipment;
3. Small and Large Industrial Equipment
4. Motor Vehicle Auto parts; and
5. Mixed items.

The Environmental Import Clearance regime is to ensure that banned and restricted chemicals, end-of-life electrical/ electronic equipment and hazardous wastes are not imported into the country. This is in line with the obligations under the relevant Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) to which Nigeria is a signatory and some National Environmental Regulations. Some of the MEAs include:

• Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (1998);
• Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent on Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade (2005);
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (2005); and
• Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (1989);

The National Environmental Regulations that address issues relating to imported items include:

• National Environmental (Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides) Regulations, 2014 S.I No 65;
• National Environmental (Electrical and Electronics) Regulations, 2011 S.I No 22; and
• National Environmental (Motor Vehicle & Miscellaneous Assembly) Regulations 2013 S.I 35

In line with the Federal Government’s Executive Order on the Ease of Doing Business to promote economic development in Nigeria, NESREA has developed The NESREA Conformity Assessment Program (NESCAP) for the Online submission of the Environmental Import Clearance Regime which commences from Friday 12th May 2023.

The NESREA Conformity Assessment Program (NESCAP) is a digital platform that enables importers to register with NESREA as well as make all payments with ease. NESCAP allow an importer to make a request for Environmental Import Clearance Letter as well as apply for Environmental Import Release Certificate.

For Further enquires about the NESPAM Portal, please contact us at: dg@nesrea.gov.ng or reach us on +23408058949701

CLICK HERE TO VISIT NESCAP PORTAL

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE NESCAP USER MANUAL

 

Signed Management