J48716 Willend EIA ResearchReport V4 FINAL - Flipbook - Page 13
The snapshot research study had to adopt a
selective approach to identifying additional EIA
interviews and focussed on:
- Another national agency from within the
FMEnv family that has already adopted and
deployed digital approaches within their work.
The aim being to to identify potential learning
opportunities. The organisation selected was
NOSDRA – the Nigerian Oil Spill Detection and
Response Agency
- Expert EIA consultants, it is important to
understand how developer interest and those
delivering of practice are progressing in terms of
applying digital technology and approaches in
their work, and what areas are beginning to be
explored.
- International bodies with an interest in EIA
that have the capability to help support the
development of Digital EIA approaches and
practices in Nigeria. In this context, discussions
with the International Finance Corporation
(IFC) and the Netherlands Commission for
Environmental Assessment (NCEA) were
considered to demonstrate two areas of
potential technical collaboration / support that
sit aside more traditional financial support
opportunities, which remain relevant and are
further discussed in Chapter 3.
NOSDRA – Application of Digital Systems and
perspectives on digitising EIA
Discussions were held with NOSDRA’s Director
responsible for information and communications
technology (ICT) and geographic information
systems (GIS). It is notable that this Agency, within
the FMEnv family of institutions and bodies, has a
structural role and dedicated senior staff focussed
on the application of digital approaches and
technology.
The Agency’s more recent establishment and
its need to monitor oil spill incidents over a large
area that is often difficult to access, placed a
greater need to rely on digital technologies that
had emerged concurrently with its functions.
NOSDRA is built on the concept of a data bank of
oil spill related information gathered by its staff,
submitted by site operators and reported by
communities and members of the public. As such,
its staffing structure and systems recognise the
need for a command and control centre style of
data management and the need for staff whose
background skills and experience is oriented to
such systems (Figure 2.1). This is in contrast to the
EA Department in FMEnv whose role in delivering
Nigeria’s EIA procedures was well established
– and thus the typical EA Officer / staff skills
set ‘fixed’ – prior to the regular uptake of digital
approaches and technology in EIA practice.
The Department’s current work on progressing Digital EIA is linked
to Section 57(1) of the EIA legislation, which sets out the need for
FMEnv to develop a public registry for EIA projects. This registry is
expected to allow access to EIA Reports, consultee responses and
other documents related to the EIA process.
Willend Associates and FothergillTC Ltd – Digitization in and around Nigerian EIA
13
