Urgent Action Needed to Address Niger Delta Oil Spills

The People's Environmental Advocacy Group, represented by Executive Director Ken Henshaw, reported that the Niger Delta experiences an annual loss of 240,000 barrels (approximately 38 million liters) of crude oil due to spills. This assertion was made during a presentation commemorating World Environment Day on June 5, 2026, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Henshaw emphasized the urgent need for the Nigerian government to address the devastating health and environmental consequences of fossil fuel extraction in the region. He highlighted the presence of 178 active gas flare points, which release methane, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter, contributing to respiratory illnesses and declining agricultural productivity.

The report noted that communities in the Niger Delta, despite being resource-rich, suffer from environmental degradation and poor health outcomes. Henshaw called for an immediate end to routine gas flaring operations and demanded regulatory accountability, public access to gas flare data, and community participation in decisions affecting their land and resources.