The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has advised residents of communities at risk of flooding across the country to take proactive measures to safeguard their lives and property as the rainy season intensifies. A statement by the spokesperson of NEMA, Manzo Ezekiel quoted Mrs. Zubaida Umar as having said that the current period of heightened rainfall called for the activation of community-level flood mitigation measures to minimise the impact of flooding. She called on residents to heed early warning information by relocating to safer, higher ground whenever there is a threat of flooding. The Director General also advised members of the public to avoid driving or walking through floodwaters, refrain from dumping refuse into drainage channels and promptly report emergency situations to the appropriate authorities for timely response. She said that preparedness and early evacuation remain the most effective ways of preventing avoidable loss of lives and reducing the impact of floods during the peak of the rainy season. Mrs. Zubaida Umar said that NEMA’s Zonal Directors and Heads of Operations Offices have been directed to intensify community-based awareness campaigns on flood preparedness, strengthen collaboration with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), traditional institutions and other relevant stakeholders, as well as coordinate timely search and rescue operations where necessary. She reaffirmed NEMA’s commitment to continuous monitoring of the flood situation across the country and to working closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure timely response and the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected persons.
The Niger Delta, in Nigeria, is rich in petroleum resources with the first commercially viable oil well drilled there in 1956. The region hosts the second largest petroleum reserves in Africa, with the Nigerian economy heavily dependent on the industry. And that’s exactly where one of the most ecologically diverse regions on Earth is located. It is also home to more than 30 million people from more than 40 ethnic nationalities. Most of them depend on farming and fishing for their livelihoods and food security, as well as their cultural identity and well-being. Deforestation in connection with activities of oil companies poses acute threats to both the environment and people.
For forest-dependent Peoples of the Niger Delta, oil has not only stolen their forests but their foods, lives, livelihoods, dignity and culture. This region has the most extensive mangrove forests in Africa and the fourth largest in the world. Mangroves play critical roles in shoreline protection, water purification, climate regulation and livelihood support. They provide resources for construction, food and are reservoirs of biodiversity. More than 60 per cent of commercial fish in the Gulf of Guinea breed in the Niger Delta mangroves. Unfortunately, about 40 per cent of the mangrove in the Niger Delta has been lost primarily due to oil and gas exploitation. Furthermore, 27 per cent of mangroves potentially threatened by oil spills globally are found in the Niger Delta. An aerial view of the Niger Delta shows a region criss-crossed by lines that heavily fragment the forests, making room for additional deforestation by loggers, poachers, miners and other forest resource harvesters. Generally, tropical forests in Nigeria run from the coast to between 150 and 200 kilometres inland from the Atlantic coast. The Niger Delta is a huge fan-shaped region in Nigeria fed by deposits from two major rivers, (the River Niger and the River Benue) and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. The natural vegetation here is the tropical rainforest with thick and lush canopies. All stages of oil and gas extraction processes directly impact the forests of the Niger Delta. At the exploratory stage, seismic lines are cut through the forests and even more deforestation occurs when pipelines are being laid. Although seismic lines are temporary and the environment could recover after the completion of the survey, mangrove forests can remain damaged for decades as the lines remain open after clearing. The oil companies are fully aware of the deforestation caused by their activities. A Shell fact book highlights the “visibility of seismic line cutting on the mangrove swamp… It is the aerial roots that are subject to most of the cutting. Recovery of the cut roots takes 2-3 years, but re-growth of mangrove trees, to make the seismic line indistinguishable from the uncut areas, may take 30 years or more”. It is estimated that there is between 5,000 to 7,000 km of pipeline networks in the region. Considering that these pipelines have at least 100 metres right of way, the extent of the deforestation associated with these pipelines is enormous. Added to these major pipelines are smaller flow lines that connect the oil wells and that equally impact the territory. In addition to the pipelines, there are canals built by oil companies for the movement of their equipment inland. There are other canals constructed to transport process water and other wastes from oil flow stations to rivers and to the ocean. Roads built to access oil wells, flow stations and other locations further slash through the forests of the Niger Delta. These infrastructural developments are often accompanied by dredging and sometimes sand filling of swamps and other wetlands. Dumped dredging materials alter the topography and hydrology of affected areas and impeded the recovery of deforested areas. Oil companies also use poorly constructed waste dump sites in the forests that further deepen the forest cover losses. The level of pollution from oil extraction and processing is estimated to be equivalent to more than 13 million barrels of crude oil (more than 2 billion litres), causing enormous damage to the environment and posing severe health threats to the people who live in the region. Unsurprisingly, the region holds the dubious record of being one of the top ten most polluted places in the world. Besides the oil spills, routine gas flaring equally impacts the forests of the Niger Delta through stunting of tree growth and overall poisoning of the ecosystems. The flares cause acid rain and acidification of soils and water bodies. They alter local ecological conditions including damaging the vegetation and forests, contributing to climate change, which further stresses coastal ecosystems. Oil pollution is a major cause of mangrove forest destruction in the Niger Delta. The unregulated and destructive harvesting, conversion of mangrove covered areas into agricultural land or built-up zones, such as for housing or industrialization are also contributory factors. The problem of oil spills in the Niger Delta has been described in several reports. (3) One of them, the United Nations Environment Programme report on the Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland of 2011, found contaminated soil and groundwater; pollution of vegetation such as mangroves; aquatic contamination resulting, among other things, in a decrease in fish; communities exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons in outdoor air and drinking water, sometimes at elevated concentrations, and also exposed through dermal contact with soil and sediments. In the community of Ejama-Ebubu, the study found heavy contamination present 40 years after an oil spill occurred, despite repeated clean-up attempts of dubious quality. Spills happen due to a variety of reasons, for example due to corrosion of pipelines and operational and equipment failures. For example, in the Bodo Creek area, more than 1,000 hectares of mangrove forest were degraded by two major operational oil spills in 2008 and 2009 and subsequently reinforced by several spills due to pipeline breakage. In January 1998, 40,000 barrels of crude oil (more than 6 million liters) was spilled by the oil company Mobil at their Idoho offshore production platform. Some of that oil evaporated, but the impact of the spill spread beyond the borders of Nigeria, reaching Benin Republic and causing harm to coastal communities along that stretch. There was an offshore oil spill at Shell’s Bonga platform in December 2011. Shell and the Nigerian government announced that 40,000 barrels of crude oil was dumped into the Atlantic Ocean. At the Idoho platform incident the volume of oil spilled was also said to be 40,000 barrels. That appears to be a comfortable measure of ecological abuse by the oil companies. The Bonga spill affected 20 coastal communities in three states of the Niger Delta. One of the largest oil spills in Nigeria was the Funima Well 5 offshore well blowout in January 1980 with a spill of at least 200,000 barrels of oil (almost 32 million litres) into the Atlantic Ocean and causing damage to 340 hectares of mangrove forest. In 2004, Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas pipeline transversing through Kala-Akama, Okrika mangrove forest leaked and caught fire, and devastated and estimated 27 km² of the mangrove forest. Repeated contamination from aged pipelines and abandoned but not decommissioned wells repeatedly contaminate recovering mangrove forests. In recent years, massive deforestation and ecological harms have been caused by blowout of poorly maintained, abandoned or derelict oil wells. In November 2021, for example, there was a wellhead blowout at Well 1 of the Oil Mineral Lease 29 on Santa Barbara River.(5) Crude oil was spewed into the river and neighbouring mangrove forests for six weeks. The official estimate of the volume of crude oil spewed into the environment was put at 3,000 barrels, whereas experts estimate a release of at least 500,000 barrels of crude oil (more than 79 million litres). The incident left a trail of suffocated and dead mangroves besides the general devastated ecosystem. The wide disparity between official and independent figures of the volume of crude oil dumped into the environment raises questions about accountability in the handling of serious issues impacting oil field communities. The mode of handling oil spills has also exacerbated ecological impacts of production. Forests have been incinerated by fires set on crude oil by oil company contractors who are not competent in oil spill clean-up. This happened at Aleibiri forest in Ekeremor Local Government Area in Bayelsa State in March 1998 and another in Foutorogbene Community in August of the same year that Shell’s contractors sought to cover the evidence of a major oil spill by setting the forest on fire. Another factor that contributes to widespread deforestation in the Niger Delta is oil theft. It is generally agreed that the operation is at industrial scale and includes crude stolen for export and some stolen for bush or artisanal refining. Bush refining requires clearing of large areas of forests and dumps crude oil into the environment in an uncontrolled manner. The stealing process sometimes involves clandestinely breaking of pipelines and leaving them to keep leaking crude into the environment because of poor equipment handling. A remote-sensing study, “Mapping Impacts of Crude Oil theft and Illegal Refineries on Mangroves of the Niger Delta of Nigeria with Remote Sensing Technology”, found that distressed mangrove vegetation associated with illegal or unauthorised refining activities covered an approximately 37.6 km² area.
Assault on the Deltas Hundreds of thousands of Niger Delta residents have suffered from the impacts in the almost seven decades since oil was discovered in the region. Two crude oil spill fire deforestation incidents deserve to be mentioned here: those in Goi and Bodo. Shell was successfully challenged in courts in The Netherlands and the United Kingdom by the impacted communities over both incidents. One spill from a Shell facility affected Goi community in Ogoniland, Nigeria, in 2004. The community and the adjoining mangrove forest caught fire, sacking the entire community. The impacts were so extreme that the residents of Goi left their homes and evacuate the community. ‘We were eating, drinking, breathing the oil,’ said Eric Dooh to The Guardian. Nearly 20 years after the spill, he returned to visit the community, which remained deserted, with decimated biodiversity. The second community is Bodo, also in Ogoniland. A 2008 major oil spill there destroyed vast areas of mangrove forests. These oil spills destroy the lives of the impacted communities. Water contamination makes fishing impossible – the main livelihood for many of these communities –, prevents them from accessing safe drinking water, and even their lands are contaminated, often making it impossible for them to farm. In both Goi and Bodo, an official sign warns: “Public Notice, PROHIBITION! Contaminated Area, Please Keep Off.” The deforestation of the Niger Delta has gained notoriety mostly be the accompanying oil pollution and gas flaring. The region should be a cautionary tale to other regions where the drive for petrodollars continue to sideline care for people and the planet. This is particularly disturbing in Africa where there appears to be a coordinated assault on world heritage and other protected areas. The flash points include Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Okavango Delta in Namibia/Botswana, the Saloum Delta in Senegal – all of them UNESCO World Heritage Sites – and Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda. But resistance to this destruction has been woven for a long time. In an article previously published in the WRM Bulletin, Ken Saro-Wiwa, a leader of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) warned about the long-term impact of the destruction of Ogoniland by oil companies. He described the environment in his community of Ogoni as having been “completely devastated by three decades of reckless oil exploitation or ecological warfare by Shell. An ecological war is highly lethal, the more so as it is unconventional. It is omnicidal in effect. Human life, flora, fauna, the air, fall at its feet, and finally, the land itself dies.” Ken Saro-Wiwa was ‘legally’ assassinated by hanging, in November 1995. His message is as strong as ever. The struggle to reforest and reclaim the forests is ongoing with community women leading the charge by raising nurseries of mangroves and replanting in degraded portions. Despite the huge harms wreaked on the Niger Delta forests, the people have not given up hope.
Nnimmo Bassey is the Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nigeria
A geography lecturer at Bayero University Kano (BUK), Dr Suleiman Yunus has challenged journalists in Nigeria to leverage Earth Observation technology by shifting from reactive to proactive disaster reporting to save lives and reduce property losses. In a paper he presented at a training on Earth Observation Satellite Tool, organised by BUK in collaboration with the European Space Agency and Future Earth, Yunus described Earth Observation as one of the world’s leading technologies, saying its rapid advancement had transformed virtually every sector, including journalism. According to him, journalists have a critical role to play in communicating disaster risks and providing timely early warning information to vulnerable communities before disasters strike. “Earth observation technology has brought significant transformation across different disciplines, including journalism. “It provides journalists with the opportunity to communicate disaster risks and early warning information to the public.” Yunus noted that disaster reporting in Nigeria had largely remained reactive, with journalists often covering incidents only after lives and property had been lost. He said that the availability of satellite-based earth observation data now offered journalists the opportunity to anticipate potential disasters and alert the public ahead of time. “The current pattern of disaster reporting is mostly reactive, where journalists visit disaster scenes to report the magnitude of destruction. “We must now embrace a proactive approach by using earth observation technology to understand the likelihood of disasters before they occur and communicate the risks to the people,” he said. The don explained that timely dissemination of early warning information would enable communities, emergency responders, and government agencies to take preventive measures, thereby reducing the devastating impact of disasters. He stressed that integrating earth observation into journalism would strengthen disaster risk communication, improve public awareness, and contribute to building more resilient communities. The training brought together academics, journalists, and other stakeholders to explore the application of earth observation technologies in disaster risk reduction, environmental monitoring, and sustainable development. BUK, ESA in collaboration with Future Earth, capacity-building workshop is part of the project titled: “Achieving Transformative Flood Risk Management in Informal Flood Risk Management in Demystified Earth Observation”. Earth Observation is a satellite tool designed to achieve effective climate change and disaster risks reporting. Earth Observation (EO) utilises a network of spaceborne sensors to gather precise, real-time data about our planet’s physical, chemical, and biological systems. For continuous monitoring, its high-resolution satellites track atmospheric changes, ocean temperatures, and soil moisture levels. It has predictive attributes by analysing multi-year patterns with which researchers and journalists can map emerging flood threats, drought cycles, and wildfire risks before they escalate. The Project Lead, Professor Aliyu Barau, said that the training was designed to improve evidence-based environmental journalism through the use of satellite imagery, geospatial data and remote sensing technologies. Barau said that environmental challenges such as floods, drought, land degradation, heat waves, deforestation and pollution were becoming more frequent, making accurate and timely information essential for informed decision-making. He said that Earth Observation technologies would enable journalists to move beyond anecdotal reports by providing reliable scientific evidence for investigative and data-driven reporting. According to him, the tools can help reporters monitor flooding, land use changes, deforestation, urban expansion, drought conditions and environmental degradation with greater precision. “The use of independent satellite imagery reduces reliance on anecdotal information and enhances the credibility and accuracy of news reports. “These technologies also support fact-checking, investigative journalism and compelling visual storytelling that helps audiences understand environmental issues better.” Barau advised participants to collaborate with scientists, geospatial experts and policymakers to ensure that scientific knowledge was effectively communicated to the public. He added that the workshop would also expose journalists to practical Earth Observation platforms and techniques for accessing and interpreting geospatial data. Also speaking, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development), BUK, Prof. Amina Mustapha, said climate change remained one of the greatest challenges facing Northern Nigeria and the Sahel region. She identified shrinking Lake Chad, desertification, drying rangelands and unpredictable weather patterns as some of the major environmental threats affecting livelihoods and food security. Mustapha said journalists played a strategic role in translating scientific findings into stories capable of influencing public policy and promoting accountability. She noted that climate reporting in Nigeria often focused on global events while paying limited attention to local environmental challenges. “The stories that deserve greater attention include the shrinking Lake Chad, the progress of the Great Green Wall initiative, displacement, food insecurity and loss of livelihoods caused by climate change.” Mustapha said the university remained committed to supporting journalists through access to its researchers, laboratories and research centres. In a virtual address, the ESA Research Coordinator and Future Earth Liaison, Freya Muir, highlighted how earth observation technology can enhance climate modeling. She said Earth Observation data generated through satellite missions provided actionable information for climate monitoring, disaster response and environmental management. Muir said the information was processed into practical products that could support emergency response, climate research and public communication. The workshop, with the theme: “Earth Observation for Journalism, disaster risk reduction and climate change communication” featured technical presentations. The presentations include: “Introduction to Earth Observation for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Communication” and “Accessing Earth Observation Data for Evidence-Based Reporting.” Participants were trained on the use of satellite imagery, geospatial platforms and digital tools to strengthen investigative journalism, disaster reporting and climate change communication.
Dangote Industries Limited has intensified efforts to combat illegal haulage activities involving its trucks by unveiling a public whistleblowing initiative that offers a cash reward to individuals who provide credible information leading to the arrest of offenders or the interception of unauthorized goods and transportation of persons. The company said the initiative, which will reward whistleblowers with N500,00.00 cash award, forms part of its broader commitment to protect the integrity of its logistics operations and eliminate the activities of unscrupulous individuals who illegally use Dangote-branded trucks to transport unauthorized goods. In a statement, the management called on members of the public to support the campaign by reporting any suspected cases of illegal haulage involving Dangote trucks. It said that only specifically approved products are permitted to be transported by vehicles belonging to its various subsidiaries. According to the company, Dangote Cement trucks are authorized to carry only cement, limestone, high-grade gypsum, coal and clinker, while Dangote Sugar Refinery trucks are restricted to the transportation of sugar products. “Trucks belonging to NASCON Allied Industries are expected to carry Dangote Salt and DanQ Seasoning products, while Dangote Packaging vehicles are designated for bags and packaging materials. “Similarly, trucks operated by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals are permitted to transport polypropylene products, while Dangote Fertiliser Limited vehicles are authorized for the haulage of urea fertilizer.” The company warned that any Dangote truck found transporting unauthorized goods would be treated as being involved in illegal haulage activities, adding that both the drivers and owners of such goods risk arrest, confiscation of the cargo and prosecution under applicable laws. “Anyone with verifiable information that leads to the arrest of persons involved in illegal haulage activities or the recovery of unauthorized goods transported on Dangote trucks will receive a cash reward of Five Hundred Thousand Naira. To aid investigations and enforcement efforts, the management of Dangote Group advised whistleblowers to provide detailed information when making reports. “These include the truck type, registration plate number, cab number, location of the vehicle, description of the goods being transported, colour of the truck and photographs of the vehicle and cargo where possible.” The company has therefore established dedicated hotlines across its operations to receive reports relating to illegal haulage activities. “Members of the public can report incidents involving trucks operating from the Obajana, Okpella and Gboko plants through certain dedicated telephone lines.” The Company stated that law enforcement agencies, including the Police, have been authorized to arrest any driver found using company trucks for unauthorized commercial haulage. It reiterated its zero-tolerance stance against logistics-related fraud and called on the public to join hands with it in safeguarding legitimate business activities by exposing illegal operators. Dangote Group emphasized that the initiative is designed not only to protect company assets and operations but also to strengthen transparency, accountability and compliance across its nationwide logistics network. “Public cooperation remains critical in our efforts to eradicate illegal haulage activities. We encourage anyone with credible information to come forward and help us maintain the integrity of our transportation system.” The company said that all reports would support ongoing efforts to protect the Dangote brand, promote lawful business practices and ensure that offenders are brought to justice.
Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited has executed a Gas Sale Agreement (GSA) with Indorama Fertilizer FZE, a subsidiary of Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited, for the long-term supply of natural gas from the Assa North Ohaji South (ANOH) Gas Processing Facility. A statement by the spokesperson of the Renaissance Energy Company, Adedayo Elusakin said that under the agreement, Indorama Fertilizer would receive up to 60 million standard cubic feet of natural gas per day (60 MMscf/d) on a firm supply basis over a 16-year period. He said that the agreement was signed by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance, Tony Attah, and the Managing Director of Indorama Fertilizer FZE, Manish Mundra, with both executives describing the deal as a significant milestone in advancing Nigeria’s domestic gas utilisation agenda, industrial development and agricultural growth aspirations. “This agreement reflects our commitment to unlocking the value of Nigeria’s abundant gas resources through partnerships that create real and lasting impact, “Attah said, adding: “By supplying natural gas to a major fertiliser producer such as Indorama, we are supporting a value chain that is critical to food security, agricultural productivity, industrial growth, and economic development.” The agreement would provide Indorama Fertilizer with a secure and reliable source of natural gas to support uninterrupted production and enable the company to meet growing domestic and regional demand for fertiliser products. The resulting increase in fertiliser availability is expected to contribute to improved crop yields, enhanced agricultural productivity, and strengthened food security across Nigeria and Africa. Speaking on the agreement, Indorama Fertilizer’s Chief Executive, Mundra said the deal was an important milestone for the company in its ambition of supporting Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda. “Reliable access to natural gas is fundamental to fertiliser production, and this long-term arrangement provides a strong foundation for sustainable operations and future growth,” Mundra said. “We appreciate the partnership with Renaissance and look forward to leveraging this collaboration.” The transaction aligns closely with Nigeria’s Decade of Gas initiative and further demonstrates the strategic role of natural gas in driving industrialisation, supporting manufacturing, enhancing energy security, and enabling economic diversification.
Parents of about 98 pupils of the School for Children with Special Needs, formerly known as the School for the Handicapped in Kuje, the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja have lamented the government abandonment of the school. The school, which was established in 1999 during the administration of the former FCT Minister, Lieutenant General Jeremiah Useni (Rtd.), was created to provide free education, boarding, rehabilitation and vocational training for children with physical and intellectual disabilities. It was established under the Family Support Programme. Management of the school was transferred to the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (FCT UBEB) which has been in charge all the while. Many parents who have their children in the school spoke to our reporter today, Friday July 10, narrating how the school has degenerated from bad to worse in terms of physical structure and general outlook. They said that funding has been insufficient to meet the school’s growing needs, and that it has affected the maintenance of buildings, purchase of equipment and provision of quality services. They said that for sometime, they, the parents, were the ones that have been supporting with financial assistances to keep the school running. The parents also complained of poor infrastructure, highlighting deteriorating classrooms, hostels, toilets most of which are leaking when it rains, and lack of water supply. According to them, some dormitories have had broken beds, worn-out mattresses and overcrowded living conditions.
There is also the complain about insufficient healthcare and rehabilitation services, saying that many pupils require physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and regular medical attention, but that such services have not always been readily available. Investigations have shown shortages of beds, inadequate feeding, unreliable water supply and insufficient hostel facilities for boarding students. Investigation by Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper showed that the number of specialist teachers has not kept pace with the increasing enrolment of children with different disabilities, making individualized instruction difficult. It was discovered that the school has frequently lacked specialized equipment such as Braille materials, assistive technologies, wheelchairs, therapy equipment, hearing aids and vocational training tools. It was discovered that being one of the principal government special schools in the FCT, it has continued to receive more students than its facilities were originally designed to accommodate. It was gathered that in a move to bring about greater government support, in 2024, the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities called on the Federal Government to take over the management of the Kuje and Jabi special schools, arguing that stronger support and modern facilities were needed to improve education and welfare for learners with disabilities. Greenbarge Reporters learnt that adequate provisions for the renovation of the school was provided in the 2025 and 2026 budgets were made, and the contracts awarded but that work is yet to commence. When contacted, the Head Teacher of the school, who gave his name simply as Isaac, said that as a civil servant, he was not allowed to speak to press, even as a senior management staff of the school confirmed that contract has long been awarded for a complete overhaul of the school. The Director in the Universal Basic Education Board (FCT UBEB) would also not comment on the situation and condition of the school.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Tony Attah has called for stronger alignment across the gas value chain to unlock Africa’s energy potential, strengthen energy security and accelerate industrialisation. Speaking at the ongoing Nigeria Oil and Gas Energy Week 2026 in Abuja, Tony Attah said that Africa’s challenge is not a lack of gas resources, but the need for greater coordination between production, infrastructure, markets and investment. Addressing the theme of synchronisation, Tony Attah noted that Africa’s energy ambitions would only be realised through coordinated action across the entire gas ecosystem. “Africa does not have a gas resource problem, what we must solve is a delivery and coordination challenge. “The opportunity before us is to align production, infrastructure, financing and demand in a way that consistently delivers energy at scale.” He explained that energy security should not be measured by resources on ground, but by the ability to deliver reliable, accessible and affordable energy to homes, industries and businesses. He therefore called for the creation of an environment that supports sustainable investment. “Capital is available globally. What investors seek is clarity, predictability and confidence in execution. The more aligned our policies, commercial frameworks and market structures become, the more investment we will attract.” Reflecting on the increasing role of indigenous companies in the sector, Tony Attah described Africa’s evolving energy landscape as a transition not only of assets, but of responsibility. “What we are witnessing is a shift from participation to leadership. African companies are increasingly taking responsibility for developing resources, building capacity and creating value across the energy ecosystem. The opportunity before us is to convert our resources into prosperity for our people.” According to him, Africa’s energy transition must reflect the continent’s development realities, pointing out that millions of people still lack access to reliable electricity and modern energy services.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has made it clear that both the country’s commemorative ₦100 banknote and the standard ₦100 banknote remain legal tender in Nigeria and must be accepted for all transactions nationwide. A statement today, July 8, by the spokesperson of the CBN, Hakama Sidi-Ali said that the commemorative ₦100 banknote, which was introduced to mark Nigeria’s centenary did not replace the existing standard ₦100 banknote. “The CBN strongly cautions individuals, businesses, financial institutions and other economic agents against rejecting the standard ₦100 banknote. “Such rejection constitutes a violation of the provisions of the CBN Act and undermines confidence in the national currency. “The Bank will not hesitate to apply appropriate enforcement measures against any person or entity found to be in breach. “The Bank remains committed to safeguarding the integrity of the Naira, ensuring confidence in all duly issued banknotes and promoting smooth currency circulation across the country. “Accordingly, members of the public are urged to accept and transact with all banknotes legally issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria. “For further clarification, members of the public are also advised to contact the CBN through its official communication channels.”
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s water and sanitation sector have called for accelerated reforms, increased investment and stronger collaboration to tackle urban sanitation challenges. The call was made in Abuja at the unveiling of the Nigeria Urban Sanitation Sector Diagnostic Study Report, conducted by the African Water Facility under the African Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII). The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, represented by Acting Permanent Secretary, Ali Dallah, said the report, marked a milestone toward achieving safely managed sanitation services. Professor Utsev thanked the African Water Facility, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other development partners for supporting Nigeria’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector. He said that the study reflected Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening partnerships, mobilising investment and accelerating reforms to improve public health, protect the environment and enhance livelihoods. He said that sanitation is a strategic investment that reduces disease burden, protects water resources, creates jobs and promotes sustainable economic growth. Professor Utsev said that the report assesses Nigeria’s urban sanitation sector and identifies measures to strengthen regulation, improves utility performance, attracts private investment and develops bankable sanitation projects. He stressed that no single institution can deliver safely managed sanitation services alone, adding that the ministry would deepen collaboration with partners under AUSII. He said that the partnership would support inclusive sanitation, faecal sludge management, resource recovery, institutional capacity building and climate-resilient sanitation systems. The Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Jamilu Danhabu, said that rapid urbanisation, population growth, inadequate water supply and underinvestment are worsening sanitation challenges. He said that the report reviewed Nigeria’s sanitation status, highlighted achievements and challenges, and outlined government’s reform priorities. Danhabu said that access to basic sanitation stands at about 60 per cent nationwide, while safely managed sanitation remains at about 20 per cent. He added that hygiene service coverage stands at about 25 per cent, school sanitation at 44 per cent, healthcare facilities at 15 per cent, while only 20 per cent of public places has adequate sanitation. He said that rapid urbanisation continues to outpace sanitation infrastructure, with most urban households relying on on-site sanitation due to limited sewerage networks. He called for increased investment in faecal sludge collection, transportation, treatment, reuse and resource recovery, as well as stronger collaboration among stakeholders. He said that government has developed policies, including the National Action Plan for WASH Revitalisation and the National Policy on Water Supply and Sanitation, which is under review. Earlier, AfDB Lead Operations Manager, Orison Amu, said the report was a roadmap for action and not merely a catalogue of challenges. He said that achieving universal sanitation by 2030 requires coordinated efforts by governments, development partners, financial institutions, communities and the private sector. Also speaking, Mrs. Jeanne-Astrid Ngako of the AfDB said that Nigeria’s projected population of more than 400 million made expanding safe sanitation services urgent. She said that urban sanitation is a national development priority requiring collaboration among governments, partners, academia, civil society and the private sector. Mrs. Ngako said that conventional sewerage systems alone cannot meet future sanitation needs due to high costs and complex infrastructure requirements. She said that AfDB and partners established AUSII to bridge the financing gap, adding that the initiative aimed to provide safe sanitation services to 15 million people. She said that AUSII would mobilise seven billion dollars in additional investments over the next decade to accelerate sanitation development. Ngako urged stakeholders to translate commitments into action, stressing that investment in sanitation supported public health, environmental sustainability, productivity and human dignity.
Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited has announced a significant hydrocarbon discovery following successful delivery of the JK-004 exploration well, located in shallow waters, offshore Nigeria in Oil Mining Lease 74. The leading African oil and gas exploration and production company said in a statement on July 7, that preliminary evaluation indicated that the JK-004 well encountered approximately 1,000 feet of hydrocarbon-bearing column across seven reservoirs, adding: “initial log interpretation and fluid analysis confirm excellent reservoir quality and light oil.” Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance, Tony Attah, described the discovery as a reflection of the company’s determined effort and the dedication of its staff, partners, regulators and contractors to advancing the nation’s goal towards sustainable long-term liquids production. “The success of JK-004, just over one year after assuming operatorship of these assets demonstrates the strength of our exploration programme.” He commended the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), saying that the exploration performance reflected the collaboration with the company’s joint venture partners comprising the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), TotalEnergies Limited and Agip Energy and Natural Resources. According to Attah, the NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, and the Executive Vice President, Upstream, Udobong Ntia, provided the needed strategic guidance with commitment for value delivery across the joint venture assets. Vice President Exploration, and Chief Explorer at Renaissance, Dr. Johnbosco Uche ascribed the exploration success to the company’s subsurface excellence, technical rigour and disciplined approach to reserve replacement. “The JK-004 well provides a strong foundation for accelerated maturation with clear pathways to early development and value realisation.” The Chief Explorer said that the strategic location of JK-004 near existing field would enable rapid commercialisation. The Chief Executive of NUPRC, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, described the feat as a perfect alignment with the commission’s vision of growing the nation’s reserves “to future-proof sustainable national growth.” He pledged to continue building the enabling regulatory environment required to support the Nigerian oil and gas industry. In his reaction, renowned Nigerian explorationist and industry veteran, Dr. Layi Fatona said that the discovery was a testament to the enduring prospectivity of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon basins and the importance of disciplined and technically grounded exploration. Fatona, who is also the chairman of Renaissance Board of Directors, noted that the success of the exploratory effort “clearly shows that indigenous operators play a critical role in unlocking value, driving investment, and contributing meaningfully to national energy security and economic growth”. Also speaking, NNPC’s EVP Upstream, Udobong Ntia, congratulated the Renaissance JV team for safe execution and for supporting NNPC and the nation in the sustainable growth ambition, adding that the Ojulari-led NNPC would intensify its support to balance reserve replacement as demonstrated in the instant case. Renaissance, recently named Africa’s biggest oil and gas company by Wood Mackenzie, operates Nigeria’s largest upstream joint venture consisting of 18 OMLs, two export terminals and one floating production, storage, and offloading vessel in shallow waters, offshore in the Niger Delta.
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There is also the complain about insufficient healthcare and rehabilitation services, saying that many pupils require physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and regular medical attention, but that such services have not always been readily available.
How Oil Spills Take Over Our Forests In Niger Delta, By Nnimmo Bassey
The Niger Delta, in Nigeria, is rich in petroleum resources with the first commercially viable oil well drilled there in 1956. The region hosts the second largest petroleum reserves in Africa, with the Nigerian economy heavily dependent on the industry. And that’s exactly where one of the most ecologically diverse regions on Earth is located.
It is also home to more than 30 million people from more than 40 ethnic nationalities. Most of them depend on farming and fishing for their livelihoods and food security, as well as their cultural identity and well-being. Deforestation in connection with activities of oil companies poses acute threats to both the environment and people.
For forest-dependent Peoples of the Niger Delta, oil has not only stolen their forests but their foods, lives, livelihoods, dignity and culture. This region has the most extensive mangrove forests in Africa and the fourth largest in the world. Mangroves play critical roles in shoreline protection, water purification, climate regulation and livelihood support.
They provide resources for construction, food and are reservoirs of biodiversity. More than 60 per cent of commercial fish in the Gulf of Guinea breed in the Niger Delta mangroves. Unfortunately, about 40 per cent of the mangrove in the Niger Delta has been lost primarily due to oil and gas exploitation. Furthermore, 27 per cent of mangroves potentially threatened by oil spills globally are found in the Niger Delta.
An aerial view of the Niger Delta shows a region criss-crossed by lines that heavily fragment the forests, making room for additional deforestation by loggers, poachers, miners and other forest resource harvesters. Generally, tropical forests in Nigeria run from the coast to between 150 and 200 kilometres inland from the Atlantic coast. The Niger Delta is a huge fan-shaped region in Nigeria fed by deposits from two major rivers, (the River Niger and the River Benue) and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. The natural vegetation here is the tropical rainforest with thick and lush canopies.
All stages of oil and gas extraction processes directly impact the forests of the Niger Delta. At the exploratory stage, seismic lines are cut through the forests and even more deforestation occurs when pipelines are being laid. Although seismic lines are temporary and the environment could recover after the completion of the survey, mangrove forests can remain damaged for decades as the lines remain open after clearing. The oil companies are fully aware of the deforestation caused by their activities.
A Shell fact book highlights the “visibility of seismic line cutting on the mangrove swamp… It is the aerial roots that are subject to most of the cutting. Recovery of the cut roots takes 2-3 years, but re-growth of mangrove trees, to make the seismic line indistinguishable from the uncut areas, may take 30 years or more”.
It is estimated that there is between 5,000 to 7,000 km of pipeline networks in the region. Considering that these pipelines have at least 100 metres right of way, the extent of the deforestation associated with these pipelines is enormous. Added to these major pipelines are smaller flow lines that connect the oil wells and that equally impact the territory.
In addition to the pipelines, there are canals built by oil companies for the movement of their equipment inland. There are other canals constructed to transport process water and other wastes from oil flow stations to rivers and to the ocean. Roads built to access oil wells, flow stations and other locations further slash through the forests of the Niger Delta.
These infrastructural developments are often accompanied by dredging and sometimes sand filling of swamps and other wetlands. Dumped dredging materials alter the topography and hydrology of affected areas and impeded the recovery of deforested areas.
Oil companies also use poorly constructed waste dump sites in the forests that further deepen the forest cover losses.
The level of pollution from oil extraction and processing is estimated to be equivalent to more than 13 million barrels of crude oil (more than 2 billion litres), causing enormous damage to the environment and posing severe health threats to the people who live in the region. Unsurprisingly, the region holds the dubious record of being one of the top ten most polluted places in the world.
Besides the oil spills, routine gas flaring equally impacts the forests of the Niger Delta through stunting of tree growth and overall poisoning of the ecosystems. The flares cause acid rain and acidification of soils and water bodies. They alter local ecological conditions including damaging the vegetation and forests, contributing to climate change, which further stresses coastal ecosystems.
Oil pollution is a major cause of mangrove forest destruction in the Niger Delta. The unregulated and destructive harvesting, conversion of mangrove covered areas into agricultural land or built-up zones, such as for housing or industrialization are also contributory factors.
The problem of oil spills in the Niger Delta has been described in several reports. (3) One of them, the United Nations Environment Programme report on the Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland of 2011, found contaminated soil and groundwater; pollution of vegetation such as mangroves; aquatic contamination resulting, among other things, in a decrease in fish; communities exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons in outdoor air and drinking water, sometimes at elevated concentrations, and also exposed through dermal contact with soil and sediments. In the community of Ejama-Ebubu, the study found heavy contamination present 40 years after an oil spill occurred, despite repeated clean-up attempts of dubious quality.
Spills happen due to a variety of reasons, for example due to corrosion of pipelines and operational and equipment failures. For example, in the Bodo Creek area, more than 1,000 hectares of mangrove forest were degraded by two major operational oil spills in 2008 and 2009 and subsequently reinforced by several spills due to pipeline breakage.
In January 1998, 40,000 barrels of crude oil (more than 6 million liters) was spilled by the oil company Mobil at their Idoho offshore production platform. Some of that oil evaporated, but the impact of the spill spread beyond the borders of Nigeria, reaching Benin Republic and causing harm to coastal communities along that stretch.
There was an offshore oil spill at Shell’s Bonga platform in December 2011. Shell and the Nigerian government announced that 40,000 barrels of crude oil was dumped into the Atlantic Ocean. At the Idoho platform incident the volume of oil spilled was also said to be 40,000 barrels. That appears to be a comfortable measure of ecological abuse by the oil companies. The Bonga spill affected 20 coastal communities in three states of the Niger Delta.
One of the largest oil spills in Nigeria was the Funima Well 5 offshore well blowout in January 1980 with a spill of at least 200,000 barrels of oil (almost 32 million litres) into the Atlantic Ocean and causing damage to 340 hectares of mangrove forest.
In 2004, Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas pipeline transversing through Kala-Akama, Okrika mangrove forest leaked and caught fire, and devastated and estimated 27 km² of the mangrove forest. Repeated contamination from aged pipelines and abandoned but not decommissioned wells repeatedly contaminate recovering mangrove forests.
In recent years, massive deforestation and ecological harms have been caused by blowout of poorly maintained, abandoned or derelict oil wells. In November 2021, for example, there was a wellhead blowout at Well 1 of the Oil Mineral Lease 29 on Santa Barbara River.(5) Crude oil was spewed into the river and neighbouring mangrove forests for six weeks. The official estimate of the volume of crude oil spewed into the environment was put at 3,000 barrels, whereas experts estimate a release of at least 500,000 barrels of crude oil (more than 79 million litres).
The incident left a trail of suffocated and dead mangroves besides the general devastated ecosystem. The wide disparity between official and independent figures of the volume of crude oil dumped into the environment raises questions about accountability in the handling of serious issues impacting oil field communities.
The mode of handling oil spills has also exacerbated ecological impacts of production. Forests have been incinerated by fires set on crude oil by oil company contractors who are not competent in oil spill clean-up. This happened at Aleibiri forest in Ekeremor Local Government Area in Bayelsa State in March 1998 and another in Foutorogbene Community in August of the same year that Shell’s contractors sought to cover the evidence of a major oil spill by setting the forest on fire.
Another factor that contributes to widespread deforestation in the Niger Delta is oil theft. It is generally agreed that the operation is at industrial scale and includes crude stolen for export and some stolen for bush or artisanal refining. Bush refining requires clearing of large areas of forests and dumps crude oil into the environment in an uncontrolled manner. The stealing process sometimes involves clandestinely breaking of pipelines and leaving them to keep leaking crude into the environment because of poor equipment handling.
A remote-sensing study, “Mapping Impacts of Crude Oil theft and Illegal Refineries on Mangroves of the Niger Delta of Nigeria with Remote Sensing Technology”, found that distressed mangrove vegetation associated with illegal or unauthorised refining activities covered an approximately 37.6 km² area.
Assault on the Deltas
Hundreds of thousands of Niger Delta residents have suffered from the impacts in the almost seven decades since oil was discovered in the region. Two crude oil spill fire deforestation incidents deserve to be mentioned here: those in Goi and Bodo. Shell was successfully challenged in courts in The Netherlands and the United Kingdom by the impacted communities over both incidents.
One spill from a Shell facility affected Goi community in Ogoniland, Nigeria, in 2004. The community and the adjoining mangrove forest caught fire, sacking the entire community. The impacts were so extreme that the residents of Goi left their homes and evacuate the community. ‘We were eating, drinking, breathing the oil,’ said Eric Dooh to The Guardian. Nearly 20 years after the spill, he returned to visit the community, which remained deserted, with decimated biodiversity.
The second community is Bodo, also in Ogoniland. A 2008 major oil spill there destroyed vast areas of mangrove forests. These oil spills destroy the lives of the impacted communities. Water contamination makes fishing impossible – the main livelihood for many of these communities –, prevents them from accessing safe drinking water, and even their lands are contaminated, often making it impossible for them to farm.
In both Goi and Bodo, an official sign warns: “Public Notice, PROHIBITION! Contaminated Area, Please Keep Off.”
The deforestation of the Niger Delta has gained notoriety mostly be the accompanying oil pollution and gas flaring. The region should be a cautionary tale to other regions where the drive for petrodollars continue to sideline care for people and the planet. This is particularly disturbing in Africa where there appears to be a coordinated assault on world heritage and other protected areas. The flash points include Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Okavango Delta in Namibia/Botswana, the Saloum Delta in Senegal – all of them UNESCO World Heritage Sites – and Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda.
But resistance to this destruction has been woven for a long time. In an article previously published in the WRM Bulletin, Ken Saro-Wiwa, a leader of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) warned about the long-term impact of the destruction of Ogoniland by oil companies. He described the environment in his community of Ogoni as having been “completely devastated by three decades of reckless oil exploitation or ecological warfare by Shell.
An ecological war is highly lethal, the more so as it is unconventional. It is omnicidal in effect. Human life, flora, fauna, the air, fall at its feet, and finally, the land itself dies.” Ken Saro-Wiwa was ‘legally’ assassinated by hanging, in November 1995. His message is as strong as ever.
The struggle to reforest and reclaim the forests is ongoing with community women leading the charge by raising nurseries of mangroves and replanting in degraded portions. Despite the huge harms wreaked on the Niger Delta forests, the people have not given up hope.
Nnimmo Bassey is the Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nigeria