The Environmental Health Council of Nigeria has called for a clear delineation of responsibilities among stakeholders in pest control regulation and emphasised the importance of private sector growth in the environmental health sector.
According to a statement shared with The PUNCH on Sunday, the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of EHCON, Dr Yakubu Baba, made this known at a Multi-Stakeholder Enlightenment and Engagement Forum held on World Environment Day 2025 in Lagos.
Environmental health remained unregulated in Nigeria until 2002, when the democratic government granted it professional recognition through the enactment of the Environmental Health Officers (Registration, etc.) Act 11 of 2002 (as amended). The Act established the Council, charged with the responsibility of regulating the environmental health profession in Nigeria.
Speaking virtually at the event, Baba praised the Pest Control Association of Nigeria for its collaboration with other professionals in safeguarding public health and the environment.
The forum, jointly organised by PECAN and EHCON, focused on reviewing the National Environmental Health Guideline Regulations 2025.
Baba described the updated regulation as “a child of necessity”, aimed at integrating stakeholders under a single regulatory framework. He stressed the need to distinguish between regulators and service providers to prevent conflicts of interest. “One cannot be a regulator and a service delivery company at the same time,” he noted.
He highlighted the public health implications of pest infestation, referencing diseases like Lassa fever and malaria. Baba advocated standardised pest control services, training and regulation of practitioners, inter-sectoral collaboration, and robust surveillance systems. He called for increased awareness and emphasised that pest control is a strategic national disease prevention tool.
In his welcome address, PECAN National President Olakunle Williams underlined the significance of the 2025 regulations, describing them as a “transformative shift” in pest and vector control in Nigeria. He stated that the previous model, primarily managed at the local government level, had led to regulatory fragmentation, inconsistent practices, and unlicensed operators.
Williams explained that the new regulatory framework now places EHCON at the federal level as the apex body for national licensing and professional standards, while state and local governments are responsible for operational permits, compliance enforcement, and grassroots advocacy, respectively. He added that the shift from fragmented oversight to coordinated collaboration marks a “paradigm shift” in the sector.
Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Dr Babatunde Ajayi, reiterated that the state government has environmental laws in place, including mandatory fumigation requirements. He admitted enforcement remains a challenge and encouraged stronger relationships between regulators and the public, as well as the use of whistle-blowers to report environmental violations.
Ajayi stated, “Our laws are strong, but enforcement needs collective effort. We started by closing down violators, but now we build relationships for lasting impact.”
Other stakeholders at the forum commended the initiative and emphasised the need for residents to respect environmental laws to foster a cleaner and healthier society.
