Using Cinema to Change Nigeria's Environmental Policies through the Polluter Pays Principle in Environmental Assessment

Abstract

Nigeria's environmental crisis demands quick policy reforms since it is caused by gas flaring, oil spills, and loose application of the polluter pays principle (PPP). This article explores how Cinema, Nigeria’s influential film sector, may magnify public awareness and motivate government to execute the PPP efficiently. Cinema underutilises environmental campaigning despite its global reach, frequently oversimplifying systemic issues or avoiding criticisms of institutional and corporate accountability. This study identifies limitations in PPP enforcement and opportunities for storytelling to reframe pollution as a solvable injustice. Corporate influence, weak institutions, and cultural narratives normalising environmental degradation further inhibit development. These problems are made worse by international streaming services, which prioritise entertainment over action, weakening crucial messages. The article concludes that Nigerians and people around the world can be motivated to seek a cleaner, more equitable future by using cinema's storytelling power.