Oil Companies urged to invest $12 billion to heal environmental devastation in Niger Delta

A new report from the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission has called on International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta to invest $12 billion over the next 12 years to address the severe environmental and public health crises caused by decades of oil spills and gas flaring.

The report, titled “An Environmental Genocide: Counting the Human and Environmental Costs of Oil in Bayelsa, Nigeria,” was unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday, revealing stark details of the toll oil extraction has taken on the land and people.

The report paints a grim picture of life in Bayelsa, where environmental destruction from oil spills and unchecked gas flaring has rendered fertile land barren, contaminated rivers, and led to a significant drop in life expectancy—now averaging only 50 years. Findings in the report indict Shell and other IOCs, stating that their activities have transformed once-thriving ecosystems into wastelands.

The document describes a heartbreaking reality for Bayelsa’s residents: “Not too many decades ago, we could cast nets into abundant waters, reaping enough catch to nourish entire families. Now, our rivers flow with toxic oil residue rather than vibrant life. We are a people of the river and the land, and our traditions of fishing and farming have been decimated.”

The report recounts the profound impacts on families, with breadwinners struggling to fish or farm on polluted land, returning empty-handed to families grappling with hunger. Women face complications in childbirth, children are born with deformities, and respiratory illnesses and cancers have surged, overwhelming local healthcare systems and further intensifying the cycle of suffering.

The commission’s report also cites the staggering figure of 16,000 additional neonatal deaths in 2012 alone in the Niger Delta, attributing the fatalities to the extreme levels of pollution.

During the report launch, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri underscored the urgent need for restorative action, highlighting the deep environmental injustice faced by Bayelsa despite its significant contributions to Nigeria’s oil wealth.

According to him, the persistent neglect in the Niger Delta has already bred militancy. He said, “If this persists, a new form of resistance will arise—not one led by arms but by the minds of young, disillusioned citizens demanding accountability. But I still hold hope for a future where Bayelsa and other oil-producing states can heal.

“Bayelsa’s contributions to Nigeria are immense. We produce 18-20% of the nation’s oil wealth, generating over $10 billion annually. Yet, despite this wealth drawn from our land, our people receive crumbs, and none of these companies have deemed it fit to establish their headquarters on our soil. Not one. Meanwhile, their profits flow freely while our people choke on polluted air and wade through poisoned waters.

“We call for concerted international action to generate and invest at least US $12 billion over the course of 12 years to repair, remediate, and restore the environmental and public health damage caused by oil and gas activities, and to lay the foundations for Bayelsa’s just transition towards renewable energy and opportunities for alternative livelihoods.”

Governor Diri emphasized the need for IOCs to relocate their headquarters to Bayelsa, saying it is time they integrate with the communities from which they derive their profits, instead of acting as “tourists with no stake.”

The commission’s report calls for immediate steps from the Nigerian government, urging access to ecological funds to tackle the crisis and strict enforcement of penalties against those violating gas flaring policies. Governor Diri further appealed to relevant agencies to support Bayelsa’s recovery by holding oil companies accountable for their actions.

The Governor urged other Niger Delta states to join forces in demanding accountability and redress from the oil giants profiting off their lands.

The vision for this environmental and public health initiative began under former Bayelsa Governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson.

In his address, the former governor called for sustained action to end decades of suffering in the region.

On his part, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Henry Lokpobiri, stated that the Nigerian government is committed to ending oil spillage and gas flaring in the Niger Delta region.

The Minister, represented by Director of Upstream, Busari Kamoru, emphasized the Federal Government’s dedication to reducing pollution and promoting sustainable environmental practices.

Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to reducing gas flaring through initiatives like the Hydrocarbons Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).

Lawal who was represented by Mr. Chukwuemeka Woke, Director-General of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) said, “We must shift from environmental destruction to restoration,” he said.