ID: 1509
Presenting Author: Morufu Olalekan Raimi
Session: 588 - Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of Indigenous Peoples: a transparency tool to strengthen the legitimacy of Impact Assessments (IA) in the face of misinformation
Status: pending
Health Impact Assessment strengthens governance and equity in Nigeria, enhancing participation, reducing illness, and aligning national policies with local needs for sustainable development.
Nigeria faces persistent health inequities driven by rapid urbanisation, environmental degradation, and weak integration of health determinants in policy. Traditional planning often excludes community voices and neglects systematic assessment of health outcomes. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) offers a structured pathway to embed equity into governance while strengthening accountability and engagement. This study evaluated HIA as a governance and community engagement tool in Nigeria. A mixed-methods action research design included two case studies: Lagos State Waste Management Reform (2023–2028) and the National Renewable Energy Transition Strategy (2024). Data sources comprised 40 stakeholder interviews, community forums with 200 participants in Lagos and Abuja, and structured policy analysis. Quantitative modelling compared projected health outcomes under HIA-informed versus conventional planning, with implementation guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Results showed HIA enhanced cross-sector collaboration (reported by 68% of policymakers) and increased community satisfaction by 54%, particularly among low-income groups. Modelling projected a 22% reduction in respiratory illness under waste reforms and a 19% improvement in energy equity outcomes. Barriers included institutional fragmentation and limited expertise, while facilitators were political buy-in, NGO partnerships, and community-led monitoring. Findings demonstrate that HIA is feasible in Nigeria as both a governance instrument and engagement mechanism, delivering measurable hea
I am Dr. Morufu Olalekan Raimi, a dedicated environmental health scientist, researcher, and academic with over a decade of experience in scholarly publishing, editorial work, and open science advocacy