RUSSIAN-UKRAINE CONFLICT AND IT’S ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPLICATIONS IN NIGERIA.

The Russian-Ukraine conflict, which began in February 2022, has had far-reaching consequences beyond the immediate region, disrupting global energy markets and intensifying environmental and health challenges in other parts of the world. While much attention has been given to geopolitical and economic effects of the war, little has been done on the indirect implications for development in emerging/developing countries like Nigeria. This study examined the environmental and health effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in Nigeria, with a view to investigating the effects on gas exploration. Descriptive design was employed. Secondary data from scholarly works, official reports and institutional publications were used for this study. Purposively sampling was used to select 24 data for analysis. Political Ecology Theory by Harold Brookfield served as the framework to provide understanding of the intersection of global politics, environment, and health. The Russian-Ukraine conflict contributed to increased gas exploration in Nigeria due to rising European demand. This has caused higher levels of gas flaring, environmental degradation, and public health risks such as respiratory illnesses and water contamination. Although the conflict has opened economic opportunities for Nigeria, it has simultaneously intensified environmental and health vulnerabilities. There is need for stronger environmental regulations, transparent environmental impact assessments, improved health monitoring and international collaboration to align Nigeria’s energy policies with sustainable development goals.