NEMA issues 14-day ultimatum to businesses over pending licence applications
The directive follows the rollout of NEMA’s ENVIS and ERP systems in July, which the agency said were designed to improve efficiency and accountability in environmental licensing.
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to businesses with outstanding licence applications, warning that those not addressed risk being forced to reapply under the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA).
The move seeks to streamline the shift to its new Integrated Environment Information Management System (ENVIS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform launched in July 2025.
More To Read
- African cities aren’t doing enough to adapt to climate change: Lessons from Durban and Harare
- Governor Sakaja vows to deregister private firms over illegal dumping of waste
- More than 140 environmental defenders killed in 2024
- Kenya’s tree-planting drive struggles as budget falls behind
- World Ozone Day in Nairobi: Michuki Memorial Park highlights 40 years of ozone protection
- Lawyer moves to court over Nairobi City Park takeover by KFS
In a notice published on Wednesday, the authority said the directive is meant to ensure all pending applications undergo technical review to pave the way for a Record of Decision (RoD).
A Record of Decision is the official statement NEMA issues after reviewing a project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), indicating whether the project is approved or rejected.
“NEMA, therefore, wishes to inform all clients with pending applications which were submitted before August 1, 2025, to contact respective NEMA offices where submissions were made to ensure all the pending technical review issues are addressed,” reads the notice.
The agency cautioned that any application not addressed by the September 30 deadline will be concluded based on the documents already submitted.
“Failure to comply with the above, the Authority will proceed to make the Record of Decision based on the submitted documents and all available records to bring to a close these applications received at NEMA prior to August 1, 2025,” NEMA said.
Applicants whose submissions remain incomplete or unresolved will be required to start the process afresh under EMCA, Cap 387, and related regulations.
The directive follows the rollout of NEMA’s ENVIS and ERP systems in July, which the agency said were designed to improve efficiency and accountability in environmental licensing.
However, the Environmental Institute of Kenya earlier criticised NEMA for introducing the platforms without adequate public consultation, warning that the move risked adding to bureaucracy rather than reducing it.
EIK say thousands of experts are unable to access the platform, leaving projects, contracts and licences stalled nationwide.
EIK Chair Alex Mugambi said while the system was necessary and had the potential to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, enhance transparency, and ensure timely project execution, the rollout was rushed and poorly executed.
“We, as experts, were given only six hours’ notice before the new system was implemented, which left much to be desired on our part,” he said.
The institute has now called on NEMA to revert to the old system while a structured transition is undertaken, stressing the need to address what it terms systemic legal, procurement and technical failures.
“We’re calling for Nema to revert to the old system, conduct a structured transition, and address the systemic legal, procurement, and technical failures,” the institute said in a statement.
NEMA has, however, urged all business entities to act swiftly to avoid having their applications closed or being forced to reapply.
Top Stories Today
