Assessment of Environmental Compliance Among Granite Quarries in Ondo State, South West Nigeria

Environmental compliance among quarry operators is a major challenge for regulatory authorities in Ondo State, South West Nigeria, where granite extraction has expanded in response to construction demand. This study assesses the level of environmental compliance among granite quarry operators in Akure and Owo Local Government Areas of Ondo State. An environmental audit framework based on the Minerals and Mining Regulations 2011 and NESREA environmental standards was applied across ten quarry sites. Compliance indicators assessed include the availability of environmental impact assessment documentation, status of progressive rehabilitation, management of quarry effluents, dust suppression measures, and implementation of reclamation bonds. Structured interviews with quarry managers and Ondo State Ministry of Natural Resources officials supplemented the audit data. Findings reveal that only two of the ten quarries possessed current and approved EIA documentation, and none maintained functional dust suppression systems consistently. Progressive rehabilitation was absent at all sites despite being a regulatory requirement. The study identifies inadequate enforcement capacity within the state inspectorate as the primary systemic failure enabling non-compliance. A compliance scoring framework developed in this study provides a practical tool for prioritised enforcement action. Recommendations include mandatory compliance reporting by operators and digitisation of mining licence and compliance records for transparent public access. Keywords: environmental compliance, granite quarry, Ondo State, mining regulations, environmental impact assessment.