Dr Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), has called on the Federal Government to urgently conduct a comprehensive environmental audit of the Niger Delta as a precursor to cleaning up the oil-polluted region. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Correspondents' Chapel Week in Port Harcourt, Bassey stressed that the time for debate on whether to clean up the Niger Delta is over, and immediate action is needed to assess the extent of environmental degradation and begin remediation.
Stakeholders Demand PIA Review
Bassey's call comes as oil host communities demand a review of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), criticizing provisions that place responsibility for oil theft and pipeline vandalism on host communities. King Felix Otuwarikpo, traditional ruler of Upata Kingdom in Rivers State, noted that while the PIA allocates host community funds for repairing sabotaged oil assets, oil companies continue to rely on security agencies for pipeline protection while sidelining host communities.
Alarming Scale of Pollution
In his keynote address titled “The Imperative of Comprehensive Cleanup of the Niger Delta Environment: Role of the Media,” Bassey described the pollution as alarming, comparing the daily volume of oil spilled in the region to the entire Deepwater Horizon disaster of 2010, which spilled about 134 million gallons of crude oil. He accused oil regulators, political leaders, and industry authorities of deliberate silence over the crisis, stating, “Nobody cares about the environment of the Niger Delta.”
Bassey argued that Nigeria was economically and socially better off before crude oil became the dominant revenue source, as oil dependence weakened agriculture, stifled infrastructure, and entrenched economic dependency. “Nigeria was better off without oil. Before oil was discovered, we had vibrant education, good infrastructure, and agriculture. Nigeria was once a major exporter of food,” he said. He added that extractivism is colonial, focusing on export commodities rather than food crops for local consumption.
Call for Global Alliances
Bassey urged Nigeria to strengthen alliances with emerging economic blocs like BRICS to counter Western domination of the global economy. He warned that failure to clean up the Niger Delta before the global transition away from fossil fuels could leave the region permanently devastated. “Oil will one day be phased out. If the Niger Delta is not cleaned now while oil is still being bought, it may never be cleaned,” he said.
He accused multinational oil companies of profiting from environmental destruction while local communities suffer pollution and poverty. “Clean up the mess. Nobody has the right to poison our water, soil, and air and walk away with profits,” he declared, insisting that all oil companies, including NNPC, Shell, Chevron, and Renaissance Africa Energy, must be held accountable.
Rejecting Vandalism Claims
Bassey rejected the routine attribution of oil spills to vandalism, noting that many incidents are caused by ageing infrastructure and operational failures. “Pipelines laid more than 50 years ago are obsolete and should have been replaced,” he said. He also condemned continued gas flaring despite court rulings declaring it illegal, stating, “What we need is an end to gas flaring because it violates the right to life.”
He noted that affected communities are seeking justice in foreign courts because Nigerian court judgments are often ignored, and alleged that some multinational firms are restructuring to evade environmental liabilities. Bassey charged the media to sustain pressure on government and industry players, emphasizing that the conference sends a message that all is not well in the Niger Delta.
