Niger Delta Communities and CSOs Insist on Inclusivity in Oil Asset Divestment
Communities across the Niger Delta region, alongside prominent civil society organizations (CSOs), have reiterated their firm demand for full and meaningful participation in the ongoing processes of oil asset divestment. This call emerges amidst significant structural transformations within Nigeria's oil and gas sector, as multinational corporations progressively divest from onshore and shallow water assets, transferring ownership to indigenous operators. This strategic shift is part of broader corporate restructuring efforts and global energy transition initiatives, with industry giants such as Shell, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, and Eni at the forefront of this movement.
Heightened Concerns Over Environmental Liabilities
While the divestment trend is anticipated to enhance local participation in the petroleum industry, it has simultaneously amplified deep-seated concerns among host communities. These communities fear that departing multinational companies may evade critical environmental liabilities, leaving behind a legacy of unresolved ecological damage. The persistent challenges include widespread oil spills, severely degraded ecosystems, ageing and often hazardous infrastructure, and unmet social obligations that have accumulated over decades of oil extraction activities.
At a recent town hall meeting convened in Port Harcourt, environmental activist and Team Lead of the MIIDEEKOR Environmental Development Initiative (MEDI), Celestine Akpobari, underscored the urgent necessity for inclusivity. He insisted that local communities must be integrally involved in all decisions that directly impact their environment, health, and livelihoods. Akpobari strongly criticized the actions of certain multinational corporations, describing their approaches as fundamentally contrary to established global best practices.
"You cannot devastate communities, destroy livelihoods, pollute water sources, and then simply exit under the guise of divestment. This is completely unacceptable and represents a grave injustice," Akpobari declared emphatically.
Regulatory Frameworks and Community Rights
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), supported by Transparency International (Australia) and the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), also addressed the gathering. They highlighted that although the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) provides a regulatory framework for managing divestments, affected communities frequently lack adequate, accessible information about the processes and their legal rights. HEDA issued a stark warning that without robust oversight mechanisms and genuinely inclusive community participation, the current wave of divestments could expose host communities to severe environmental and socio-economic risks, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities.
Among the communities represented at the town hall meeting were the Ogoni people, residents of Bille in Akuku Toru, and delegates from the Ikwere Local Government Area, reflecting the broad regional concern.
Calls for Accountability and Sustainable Solutions
HEDA's Executive Secretary, Sulaimon Arigbabu, speaking at the event, emphasized that the meeting was convened at a critical juncture, as oil companies continue their exit from assets across the Niger Delta. He noted that while divestments are often framed within narratives of global energy transition and corporate restructuring, they carry profound, far-reaching consequences for communities already burdened by prolonged environmental degradation.
Arigbabu listed oil spills, abandoned infrastructure, and disrupted livelihoods as persistent challenges facing the region, cautioning that these issues risk being neglected or inadequately addressed as asset ownership changes hands. He stated that the town hall served as a vital platform for fostering dialogue, engagement, and accountability among key stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society groups, and the affected communities themselves.
"We must ensure that no divestment process leaves behind a legacy of environmental injustice or excludes the voices of host communities. Their participation is not optional; it is a fundamental right," Arigbabu asserted.
Strengthening Public Understanding and Advocacy
Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre, Olanrewaju Suraju, added that the initiative aims to deepen public understanding of oil asset divestment, meticulously document grassroots experiences, and generate actionable, evidence-based recommendations to guide future policy reforms and advocacy efforts. Key issues prominently highlighted during the forum included the clear assignment of environmental liabilities, responsibility for comprehensive remediation, accountability of both exiting and incoming operators, and the crucial role of regulatory bodies in enforcement and oversight.
Arigbabu further emphasized that transparency, accountability, and active community participation are non-negotiable rights. He noted that the effectiveness of existing legal frameworks, such as the PIA, depends largely on their proper, diligent implementation and sustained, active citizen engagement. He urged all stakeholders to move beyond mere complaints and instead focus on developing practical, people-centred solutions that will genuinely promote sustainable and equitable development in the Niger Delta region.
Other partners involved in this critical project include Transparency International (Australia) and the Natural Resource Governance Institute, alongside valued local collaborators such as the Stakeholder Democracy Network, Social Action, the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, and the Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre.
