Assessment of Health Impact Assessment Practice in Industrial Development Projects in Rivers State, South South Nigeria

Health impact assessment is a structured tool for evaluating the potential health consequences of development policies and projects, yet its application in Nigeria's oil-dominated industrial corridor in Rivers State is ad hoc and inconsistently regulated. This study assesses the practice of health impact assessment in industrial development projects in Rivers State, examining regulatory compliance, methodological rigour, community participation, and post-assessment implementation tracking. A qualitative case study design is applied, selecting six completed industrial development projects in Port Harcourt, Eleme, and Okrika between 2018 and 2023 through purposive sampling. Document analysis of environmental and social impact assessment reports, health impact assessments, and corporate social responsibility disclosures is complemented by 30 semi-structured interviews with project developers, Rivers State Ministry of Environment officials, environmental health consultants, and community leaders. Thematic analysis is applied to qualitative data, while document analysis employs a health impact assessment quality appraisal checklist adapted from the WHO Health Impact Assessment Quality Appraisal Framework. Available evidence indicates that health impact assessments in Nigerian oil and gas projects frequently lack quantitative health outcome projections and meaningful community health baseline data. The Social Determinants of Health and Environmental Justice frameworks inform the critical appraisal. Findings will support the Rivers State Ministry of Health and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency on strengthening health impact assessment requirements. Keywords: health impact assessment, industrial development, environmental health, Rivers State, South South Nigeria.