Stakeholders again call to decommission abandoned oil wells in the Niger Delta

Stakeholders from the Niger Delta—including environmental experts, activists, academics, traditional leaders, women, and youth—have urged oil companies and government authorities to prioritize the decommissioning of old and abandoned oil wells that dot the region, citing the environmental risks they pose.

The group criticized the manner in which multinational oil firms are divesting from the area without proper remediation or environmental audits. They stressed that both global best practice and Nigerian regulations mandate safe decommissioning and cleanup of oil wells once their productive life ends.

They questioned why oil companies operating in the Niger Delta consistently avoid these responsibilities.

These concerns emerged during the 5th Niger Delta Alternatives Convergence (NDAC), titled “Decommissioning and Accountability.” The event was organized by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in partnership with frontline civil society organisations in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Participants highlighted the escalating dangers posed by abandoned, non‑decommissioned, and aging oil and gas infrastructure, describing them as ticking time bombs that threaten environmental safety, groundwater quality, biodiversity, climate resilience, and community livelihoods.

The Convergence expressed alarm that abandoned and inactive wells across the Delta continue to leak hydrocarbons, pollute ecosystems, and endanger communities decades after operations ceased. Examples cited include abandoned wells in Otuabagi, Bayelsa State, and the 2007 eruption of the SPDC Ibibio‑1 well at Ikot Ada Udo in Ikot Abasi LGA, Akwa Ibom State.

“Oil well blowouts and fires—including the Ororo‑1 well in Ondo State, which has burned since 2020, and the Alakiri wellhead fire in Rivers State, which has been ongoing since 2024—demonstrate the persistent failure of operators and regulators to take responsibility or implement urgent remedial action,” the stakeholders said.

In a communique issued at the meeting’s conclusion, the stakeholders declared: “Every abandoned, leaking, and undecommissioned oil well in the Niger Delta must be treated as a crime scene, given the continuing threats they pose to lives, livelihoods, ecosystems, and public health.”

They called for an immediate and transparent audit of all oil wells and petroleum infrastructure in the Delta, followed by urgent decommissioning, remediation, and ecological restoration of unsafe facilities. State governments should lead accountability efforts, while the Federal Government must enforce compliance.

“While we acknowledge landmark reports such as the Willinks Commission, NDES, UNEP, and BSOEC reports, the Convergence insists that the future of the Niger Delta must no longer be defined by exploitation and ecological sacrifice, but by justice, restoration, environmental integrity, and development shaped by the aspirations and rights of the peoples of the region,” they added.

They demanded an end to reckless extractive practices and short‑term economic interests that continue to undermine environmental sustainability and community livelihoods.

They urged immediate identification, audit, and public disclosure of all abandoned oil and gas wells and facilities across the Niger Delta. “We want immediate cleanup, remediation, restoration, and reparations of polluted environments and ecosystems affected by oil extraction and abandoned facilities,” the stakeholders stated.

The Convergence also called for amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and stricter enforcement of provisions related to environmental responsibility, decommissioning obligations, corporate accountability, and a transparent, legally enforceable framework regulating oil company divestment. This would prevent liabilities from being transferred to communities or the Nigerian state.

While advocating for the publication of annual NEITI oil and gas reports detailing payments and management of decommissioning and abandonment funds by all oil and gas companies, the stakeholders requested that the federal government disclose specific details of divestment deals, especially the liabilities inherited by domestic companies.

They also urged communities and civil society to prioritize strategic litigation and avoid the pitfalls associated with weak legal action.