CSOs, Community Leaders Tell Tinubu to Halt Divestments in Niger Delta, Sales of Shell’s SPDC Shares
A coalition of Civil society organisations, community leaders, and concerned citizens from across Nigeria have called on President Bola Tinubu to sustain the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) rejection of Shell’s request to sell its remaining shares in the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to the Renaissance consortium and also halt all other divestments in the Niger Delta.
The call which was made in a statement released on Monday warned that approving the divestment would weaken regulatory independence, ignore the interests of the Niger Delta communities, jeopardize the environmental and social well-being of the region for generations to come, and undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The coalition said there are dangerous experiences from past asset sales by Shell, ENI/AGIP, and ExxonMobil.
The release said “In the case of Shell’s divestment in Nembe to Aiteo, for instance, the local communities were left with unresolved pollution and no proper remedy for the environmental damage caused by decades of oil extraction. Environmental destruction has worsened in the area. Similarly, when ExxonMobil divested some of its assets, the responsibility for remediation was inadequately transferred to new operators, who were ill-prepared to manage the legacy of contamination. In ENI/AGIP’s case, the sale of assets to Oando continued to worsen the situation in the host communities as there were no comprehensive cleanup efforts undertaken.”
The Coalition said these sales not only failed to address the critical environmental liabilities but also deepened the social tensions in the Niger Delta, as new operators took over without addressing the root causes of community unrest or the longstanding health and environmental challenges. They insisted that this pattern of divestment which they described as irresponsible must not be repeated stressing that the Nigerian government has a responsibility to stop it.
The Coalition noted that consequent upon the pollution by Shell and other oil companies, UNEP’s findings revealed that drinking water sources in the Niger Delta are contaminated with dangerous levels of hydrocarbons, making them unsafe for human consumption.
They noted that UNEP’s findings also showed that oil spills have destroyed entire ecosystems, killing marine life and damaging the biodiversity that is crucial for the livelihood of local communities and the soil in Ogoniland has been contaminated with toxic substances, rendering it infertile and unsuitable for farming, exacerbating food insecurity in the region.
They called on President Bola Tinubu President to ensure that the immediate financial interests of a few multinational corporations and local profiteers do not outweigh the health, future, and survival of millions of Nigerians who have suffered for decades.
The Coalition called on President Tinubu to safeguard the future of Nigeria, ensuring that all its people, especially those in the Niger Delta, are not sacrificed for the benefit of global capital and a few local profiteers.
The statement added “We want to make it absolutely clear: approving Shell’s or TotalEnergies’ divestment in its current form without addressing the profound environmental and social costs would be a grave injustice to the people of the Niger Delta and could lead to significant unrest in the region. It would be an affront to the generations of Niger Deltans who have fought and died for environmental justice, their homes, and their livelihoods.
“Approving Shell’s SPDC share sale would send a dangerous message to all multinational corporations operating in Nigeria that they can extract our resources, leave devastation behind, and walk away without consequence. This is not just a question of corporate accountability; it is about Nigeria’s sovereignty, dignity, and the right of its people to live in a clean and safe environment.”
The Coalition called for immediate halt of all divestment processes until a transparent, comprehensive, and inclusive review is undertaken that addresses Shell’s and TotalEnergies’ historical environmental and social liabilities.
They asked the federal government to ensure inclusive and transparent consultation with state governments and the people of the sites of oil and gas extraction in the Niger Delta before any further divestment of IOC assets.
The Coalition demanded that the federal government hold Shell, TotalEnergies, and all other IOCs accountable for their past and ongoing environmental damage, and ensure they fund a full cleanup and remediation programme across the Niger Delta.
Part of the statement added “Uphold the regulatory independence of NUPRC and allow it to fulfill its statutory duties without political interference. Respect the resolution of the National Assembly, which has called for a halt to all divestments by international oil companies in Nigeria.
“Ensure that new operators are properly vetted and committed to responsible environmental management and community welfare.Create an Environmental Restoration Fund that is sufficiently funded to meet the full and complete costs of environmental cleanup and reparations based on credible estimates of independent international experts and contributed to by Shell, TotalEnergies, and other international oil companies and future operators to address the long-term damage caused by their operations.
“Provide community profit-sharing opportunities for host communities as part of any divestment agreement, ensuring that the local people benefit from the oil resources they have hosted for decades. Mandate full disclosure of all environmental liabilities before divestment, requiring Shell, TotalEnergies, and any future operators to publicly declare and address all damages. Include gas flaring cessation and decommissioning plans in any divestment agreement, with clear timelines for ending harmful practices. Account for carbon emissions related to the divested assets and propose mitigation plans that align with Nigeria’s climate commitments.
The statement was signed by Nnimmo Bassey -Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr. Isaac ‘Asume’ Osuoka – Social Action Nigeria, Olanrewaju Suraju – HEDA Resource Centre, Emem Okon – Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Akinbode Oluwafemi- Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA). Idoreyin Bassey- League of Queens International Empowerment, Tijah Bolton-Akpan – Policy Alert, Ken Henshaw – We the People, Rita Uwaka – Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, David Ugolor – Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ).
Others are Mfon Utin – Healthy Life Development initiative, Comr. Cynthia Buluebiere Bright – Gbolekekro Women Empowerment And Development Organization (GWEDO), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani – Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Cookey Tammy Ph.D – Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), Umo Isua-Ikoh – Peace Point Development Foundation, Friday Nbani – Lekeh Development Foundation, Amanie Stella – Society for Women and Youths Affairs (SWAYA), Martha Agbani, Lokiaka Community Development Centre, Akpobari Celestine – People’s Advancement Centre Ogoni Solidarity Forum, Dr Chido Onumah- Africa Centre for Media and Information Literacy ( AFRICMIL), Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi – Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED),Odey Friday – Accountability Lab Nigeria, International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC), Arochukwu Ogbonna – Civil Rights Council, and Josesphine Alabi – Keen and Care Initiative.