The paper examines the impact of the nature and character of the Nigerian state and its environmental policy on the achievement of sustainable development in Nigeria. The paper notes that the undemocratic and corrupt nature of the Nigerian state have rendered impotent the environmental policy and as a consequence, the achievement of sustainable development seems to be a mirage. Secondary sources of data were relied upon in the paper. The paper is of the opinion that with sanitized democratic process coupled with strengthened institutions, the state in collaboration with the people can formulate and implement potent environmental policies that can protect the environment from harsh unfriendly environment practices which in form can guarantee the achievement of sustainable development in Nigeria. The paper recommends among others, that the formulation and implementation of environmental policies should be pro-poor and the relevant institutions should be strengthened in order to achieve sustainable development in Nigeria.
Keywords: Democracy; Carrying Capacity of the Earth, State; Environmental Policy; Sustainable Development
