The Impact of Environmental Laws on Sustainable Development Goal 11: Empirical Evidence from Offa Town, Kwara State, North Central, Nigeria

Abstract

This research examined the impact of adherence to environmental laws on achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11) in Offa town, Kwara State, Nigeria, by 2030. Grounded in the premise of the theory of environmental rule of law for sustainable development by UNEP (2025) and the theory of public enforcement of the law by Polinsky and Shavell (2005), this study employed a multi-stage stratified random sampling method to collect data from 140 randomly selected household heads across 13 areas in Offa town between October 27 and November 20, 2023. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was utilised to develop an index based on SDG 11 indicators, which included slum existence, public transport accessibility, flooding frequency, insecurity, traffic fatalities, sanitation facilities availability, and clean water access. The model was evaluated using multiple linear regressions with robust standard errors. The findings revealed a negative impact of environmental laws related to environmental protection, urban planning, road traffic, public health, and sanitation on SDG 11, indicating non-compliance among Offa residents that may obstruct the goal’s achievement by 2030. Consequently, the study recommended the development of sanitation-focused infrastructure, improved access roads, repaired drainage systems, stricter law enforcement, and enhanced governance practices to foster compliance and progress towards SDG 11.