A PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH TO VALUING CONTAMINATED FARMLANDS LANDS IN NIGERIA Iyenemi Ibimina KAKULU 1 Department of Estate Management, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nigeria Mohamed Bashir NUHU 2 Department of Estate Management and Valuation, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria The payment of fair, adequate, equitable and full compensation to agricultural land owners or occupiers, could serve as a deterrent to continued indiscriminate land pollution by industry and individuals globally. This research paper examines the perceived impact of oil pollution on agricultural land yields and suggests methodologies for a comprehensive assessment and appraisal of the loss of agricultural income to land owners arising from the contamination. It examines the process of valuation of contaminated land, conducts empirical phenomenological research and hypothesizes that a combination of scientific and qualitative research methodologies could form a basis for the recommendations on good practices in compensation assessment. It recomends that the value of compensation determined in a particular context has a relationship with the prevailing land-use pattern and that adopting a single-method approach to valuation for compensation in cases of oil pollution, is not sustainable. It also recommends a combination of alternative approaches as each particular land pollution situation demands. Key words: Environmental impact assessment, compensation; contaminated land; oil spills, statutory valuation. Aknowledgements 3 INTRODUCTION Contaminated land has been defined variously with each definition having an impact on land users in different ways. Warren (2001) defines contaminated land as any land that contains a substance or substances that may adversely affect people or the environment. In the UK Environmental Protection Act 1990, s.78A (2), contaminated land is defined as "any land which appears to the local authority in whose area it is situated to be in such a condition, by reason of substances in, on or under the land, that (a) significant harm is being caused or there is a significant possibility of such harm being caused.. Harm is further defined within the context of agricultural property in s. 78A (2)(a)(iii) as death, disease, other phLJsiĐal daŵage to liǀestoĐk, Đrops, produĐe or doŵestiĐated or wild animals subject to hunting rights, amounting to 20% or more of their value (an aŶiŵal or Đrop) effeĐt. In reality, meaning can only be ascribed to contaminated land within a particular context linked directly to the land use and as such, what may be regarded as contamination to an agricultural land user may be insignificant for an industrial heavy-duty truck park. Again, 1 Corresponding Author, email: ibkakulu@hotmail.com 2 mbnuhu@futminna.edu.ng 3 The support of the Department of Real Estate and Planning, Henley Business School; University of Reading is hereby acknowledged.