The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has sealed 30 construction sites across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) over breaches of environmental regulations.
The enforcement action, carried out on Tuesday, targeted operators found to have violated provisions of the National Environmental (Construction Sector) Regulations, 2011.
Director-General of NESREA, Prof. Innocent Barikor, who spoke through the Director of Environmental Quality Control, Elijah Udofia, said the affected firms failed to comply with environmental standards despite repeated engagements.
“Environmental compliance is not a choice,” Barikor warned, stressing that operators showed “unwillingness to fully comply with regulatory requirements relating to environmental documentation and responsiveness to compliance engagements.”
He added that failure to respond to clear and time-bound regulatory directives constituted “a serious breach of compliance obligations” with risks to public health and the environment.
Barikor noted that while the construction sector remains critical to national development, it must operate within established environmental guidelines to prevent hazards such as poor waste management, construction on floodplains, excessive dust emissions, unsafe handling of materials, erosion, and negative impacts on host communities.
“The regulations are designed to prevent harm before it occurs and to ensure that construction activities are managed responsibly from the start,” he said.
Among the affected sites are Primgate Reality, XTadok Nigeria Limited, Real Bees Global Ltd, and Infinite Acres Limited, all located in Wuye District, as well as projects in Jabi, Katampe, Jahi, Asokoro, and along Airport Road.
Others include Urban Cribs, Sunvic Investment Company Ltd, Salis Estate, Peak and Hills Engineering & Development Ltd, Hectare Industries, I&E Construction Limited, Rockseed International Company Nigeria Ltd, Alpha Pillars Construction Ltd, and Urban Shelter UTC, among others.
NESREA assured that enforcement would continue nationwide, urging stakeholders in the construction sector to comply with environmental standards to safeguard public health and promote sustainable development.