SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE IN THE LIGHT OF ISLAMIC LAW AND MODERN POLICY PRACTICES: A NIGERIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

The rising ecological crises in Nigeria – ranging from deforestation, water pollution, and desertification to oil spills and unregulated waste disposal – present significant governance challenges that require multidimensional approaches. While modern environmental policy frameworks exist, including the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) Act and the Climate Change Act of 2021, their enforcement remains weak due to institutional corruption, limited awareness, and inadequate community participation. This paper examines sustainable environmental governance through the dual lens of Islamic law and modern policy practices, emphasizing Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim context. Using a doctrinal and qualitative approach, the study analyzes Qur’anic principles of stewardship (khilāfah), prohibition of corruption (fasād), and preservation of natural balance (mīzān) alongside Nigeria’s environmental legal instruments. The findings reveal that Islamic environmental ethics reinforce the principles of accountability, moderation, and justice embedded in sustainable development goals (SDGs), and that their integration into Nigeria’s governance structures can strengthen compliance, community engagement, and ethical responsibility. The paper concludes that sustainable environmental governance in Nigeria requires a hybrid model grounded in faith-based environmental ethics, effective policy implementation, and institutional reform aligned with both divine injunctions and modern sustainability principles.