Towards a Greening Policy Framework for a Sustainable Economic Development in Nigeria

This study addresses the pressing environmental challenges linked to Nigeria’s economic growth, particularly as Africa’s largest economy, which heavily relies on the oil and gas sector. While this sector drives economic development, it also contributes to significant environmental degradation, such as deforestation, pollution, and biodiversity loss. The unsustainable nature of this economic model threatens public health and the country’s long-term economic stability. To mitigate these challenges, the integration of green technology and the adoption of a comprehensive greening policy framework are crucial. This research focuses on developing such a framework for sustainable economic development in Nigeria, with an emphasis on compliance with the Kyoto Protocol and Doha Amendments. A sequential qualitative research design was utilized, targeting experts knowledgeable about the implementation of these international agreements in South Korea and Nigeria. Twenty experts, evenly divided between the two countries, provided insights through open-ended questionnaires and interviews. The data collected was analyzed using inductive thematic coding. The findings revealed that Nigeria’s adoption of the Kyoto Protocol was driven by its commitment to international environmental agreements, potential economic gains from market-based mechanisms, and an increased awareness of climate change challenges. However, progress is hindered by weak regulatory frameworks, insufficient infrastructure, financial limitations, and a lack of technological innovation. These issues are further aggravated by systemic problems such as bureaucratic inefficiencies and corruption. Drawing lessons from South Korea’s successful alignment with global climate agreements, the study underscores the importance of strengthening Nigeria’s regulatory environment through comprehensive policies that adhere to international standards. Keywords: Greening policy, sustainable economic development, Kyoto protocol, Doha, amendments