Introduction
For over six decades, the Niger Delta has paid the ecological price of Nigeria’s crude oil wealth. Once lush with mangroves and rich aquatic life, the region is now one of the most polluted environments on the planet, thanks to unchecked oil exploration, gas flaring, and systemic neglect by both the state and corporate actors. This is not just an environmental crisis, it is a humanitarian and economic catastrophe.
The “Advocacy for the Clean-Up of the Niger Delta and the Revamp of the Ecosystem” project, led by Centre LSD with support from Global Green Grant, was conceived to confront this long-standing injustice. It builds on the Centre’s decade-long engagement in the Niger Delta through platforms such as the Cordaid 5-year clean-up initiative, now re-energized to amplify pressure, push for systemic change, and ensure the Niger Delta is not forgotten, again.
Project Rationale
While the UNEP Report on Ogoniland catalyzed the creation of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and some symbolic gestures of commitment, true remediation remains slow, opaque, and far from transformative. Oil companies are now divesting, quietly exiting the scene while leaving behind decades of pollution, health hazards, and shattered livelihoods.
Yet, amidst these realities, a window of opportunity has reopened. President Bola Tinubu’s recent public commitment to “heal the wounds of the past” and unlock the Niger Delta’s human and natural potential offers a crucial policy moment. Centre LSD aims to convert this rhetoric into action by galvanizing civil society, media, and local communities under a unified banner: #CleanUpNigerDelta.
Approach and Strategy
The project utilizes a strategic blend of research, advocacy, public mobilization, and digital engagement to press for an accountable and accelerated clean-up agenda. Centre LSD’s six-pronged implementation strategy includes:
