Clean up the Niger delta before exit_ Activist tell International oil companies

“No divestment without remediation!” is the demand of environmental activists from the Niger Delta, who recently protested at the Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt, Southern Nigeria.

The protest, organized by environmental advocacy groups such as Social Action, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, We The People, and local communities, is calling on President Bola Tinubu to prevent international oil companies (IOCs) from continuing the divestment process until they address the extensive environmental damage caused by oil spills across the Niger Delta.

Dr. Prince Edegbuo from Social Action told BBC that they want President Tinubu to uphold the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) rejection of Shell’s request to sell its remaining shares in Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to the Renaissance Consortium. He added that other IOCs, like TotalEnergies, are also attempting to sell their stakes in SPDC and other Nigerian onshore oil assets. Edegbuo warned that approving Shell’s sale would send a harmful message to multinational corporations operating in Nigeria, suggesting they can exploit resources, leave destruction behind, and depart without facing any consequences.

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He emphasized that granting approval for Shell and Total’s divestment requests would weaken regulatory independence, disregard the interests of Niger Delta communities, harm the region’s environmental and social well-being for generations, and undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty.