The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed 21 facilities in Abuja for breaching multiple environmental regulations.

The enforcement action, carried out on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, affected a mix of housing estates and quarry operations.

Addressing journalists, NESREA Director General, Professor Innocent Barikor, stated that the crackdown followed repeated attempts—both written and physical—to secure compliance from the affected entities, all of which went unheeded.

“This is not about punishment; it’s about protecting our environment and ensuring that operators adhere to the rules that govern sustainable development,” Barikor said.

Among the violations is that many of the facilities failed to undergo the mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before commencing operations. Some were also found to be operating on floodplains and other ecologically sensitive zones, particularly in the real estate sector—an industry Barikor described as notorious for flouting environmental laws.

Triggered by mounting public complaints, NESREA’s investigation revealed unchecked construction and quarrying activities were contributing to flooding, erosion, and land degradation in host communities.

The affected facilities include:
White Avenue Real Estate, CCECC-FIRS, Mo Mouna Construction, Practis Project, Belmont Court, Istrom Construction, Mab Global Estate, Ochacho Real Homes, Constrix, Anarock Global Services, Quali Trends Nigeria Ltd, Boked International, CCECC at CBD, Tim Tali Transport, Matilda Rozi Ltd, Efedi Homes, T’lon Construction, Cosgrove’s shopping mall project, Cosgrove Estate, Tayyib Homes, and Contrix Cube.

Elijah Udofia, NESREA’s Director of Environmental Quality Control, said the agency had issued ample notices and timelines for legal compliance but received minimal cooperation. He also highlighted dangerous excavation depths by quarry operators.

“By law, quarry depth must not exceed three metres. However, some operators have dug as deep as 25 metres, posing grave environmental risks,” Udofia said.

NESREA reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing environmental laws and safeguarding both ecological systems and public health.