CSOs, Concerned Stakeholders To Tinubu: Halt Shell, Others’ Divestments In Niger Delta

A coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), community leaders, and concerned citizens from across  on Monday, December 16, 2024 called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to as a matter of urgent national importance, 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.

The coalition also want the President to endorse the rejection of the sale of other international oil corporations, such as TotalEnergies, that are also attempting to sell their stakes in SPDC and other Nigerian onshore oil assets.

The group specifically noted that an approval of the sale of Shell’s and Total’s Assets would be a declaration of war with the Niger Delta, stressing that 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.
The Coalition also warned that it would be an affront to the generations of Niger Deltans who have fought and died for environmental justice, their homes, and their livelihoods.
The group stated categorically that any approval of Shell’s and Total’s requests 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, adding that it would also undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The coalition in a signed statement by the Nigerian Civil Society Organizations, Community Groups, and Concerned Citizens signed by Nnimmo Bassey for 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), 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 International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC), Arochukwu Ogbonna – Civil Rights Council, and Josephine Alabi – Keen and Care Initiative, said they were compelled to ask for a comprehensive halt to all divestment requests from oil corporations in the Niger Delta, including Shell, Total, and other IOCs with similar plans, until the some critical issues are addressed.
The coalition noted that the importance of Regulatory Independence, saying that it is critical to emphasize that the Nigerian Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the NUPRC’s responsibility to uphold this law were clearly outlined when Shell’s divestment request was initially rejected.
It further said; “NUPRC’s refusal was based on legitimate concerns, including Shell’s failure to adequately address the significant environmental and social liabilities associated with its operations in the Niger Delta, as was independently assessed and recommended by international assessors
contracted by the country.

“Among the reasons for rejecting the sale, NUPRC cited the inability of the Renaissance consortium, a shady company with links to past Shell executives and Nigerian political actors, to demonstrate its financial and technical capacities to manage the assets and the pressing need for proper environmental remediation.
“NUPRC’s rejection was in line with the responsibilities outlined under Nigerian law and global best practices for corporate accountability. It is a decision rooted in national interest — protecting the health, safety, and environment of the Niger Delta communities. Any attempt to approve Shell’s sale despite these valid concerns would risk undermining regulatory independence and signaling that Nigerian law can be bypassed to serve the interests of multinational corporations,” it stressed.
Commenting on the Legacy of Pollution and Health Crisis, the coalition said that the environmental and health crises caused by Shell and other oil corporations operating in the Niger Delta are well documented, adding that the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) report on Ogoniland noted an ecological disaster of immense proportions.

The coalition further said that the UNEP’s findings revealed that drinking water sources were contaminated with dangerous levels of hydrocarbons, thereby making them unsafe for human consumption.
The group also said that Oil spills have destroyed entire ecosystems, killing marine life and damaging the biodiversity that is crucial for the livelihood of local communities, adding that the soil in Ogoniland has been contaminated with toxic substances, rendering it infertile and unsuitable for farming, thus, exacerbating food insecurity in the region.
It said that the UNEP’s assessment concluded that the cost of remediating the “environmental catastrophe” in Ogoniland alone would exceed $1 billion over the initial five years, with the cleanup expected to last more than 30 years.

It further said; “Yet, these costs are still insufficient to cover the broader environmental impacts of oil extraction across the Niger Delta, where similar damages exist.
“The Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission’s (BSOEC) report provides a detailed analysis of the severe pollution caused by Shell’s and other multinational companies’ operations, including health impacts on local populations.

“According to the BSOEC: High levels of toxins from oil pollution, such as total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and heavy metals (HMs), have infiltrated the air, water, and soil across the region, contributing to a public health emergency.
“Communities are suffering from respiratory issues, skin diseases, and cancers linked to oil pollution, and these problems are worsening by the year. The economic cost of these health impacts and the degradation of natural resources is incalculable, leaving most of the people in poverty and unable to sustain themselves through traditional means like farming and fishing.
“The BSOEC report also estimates that the cost of remediating the damage in Bayelsa State alone would exceed $12 billion over 12 years. Based on the UNEP and BSOEC reports, it would take about $100 billion to address the environmental damage in the entire Niger Delta comprehensively.
“Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the United States, BP, the company responsible, paid over $60 billion to address the impacts of one oil spill incident alone. The environmental damage of the Niger Delta is much worse and has spanned decades. Therefore, to allow Shell, TotalEnergies, or any other company to walk away from their responsibilities would mean transferring these liabilities to the Nigerian state, the Niger Delta states, and the Nigerian people.

“This is an unjust and unsustainable burden that would further exacerbate the challenges faced by communities already suffering from the effects of pollution and environmental neglect,” it said.
Taking a critical look at what it considered ‘Dangerous Lessons from Past Asset Sales’, the Coalition noted that the experiences from past asset sales by Shell, ENI/AGIP, and ExxonMobil, offered grave lessons, stressing that 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.

It further said; “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. 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.

“This pattern of irresponsible divestment must not be repeated, and the Nigerian government has a responsibility to stop it. The National Interest and the Urgency for Action
“We ask Mr. 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. “President Tinubu must 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.
“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,” it stressed.

Accordingly, the coalition demanded that President Tinubu should immediately halt all divestment processes until a transparent, comprehensive, and inclusive review is undertaken that addresses Shell’s and TotalEnergies’ historical environmental and social liabilities.
It was demanded an 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 want the Federal Government to hold Shell, TotalEnergies, and all other IOCs accountable for their past and ongoing environmental damage, and ensure they fund a full cleanup and remediation program across the Niger Delta.
Other demands included; “Uphold the regulatory independence of NUPRC and allow it to fulfill its statutory duties without political interference and 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 coalition insisted.
It stressed that this is the defining moment in Nigeria thus, urged President Tinubu to stand with the people of the Niger Delta and uphold the values of justice, fairness, and environmental protection.

It said that by halting Shell’s, TotalEnergies’ and any other IOC divestment and demanding accountability, President Tinubu will send a powerful message that Nigeria’s sovereignty and the welfare of its citizens are paramount.
The group appealed to President Tinubu not to undermine Nigeria’s national interest and the oversight of democratic institutions, adding that they stand ready to continue their advocacy but need President Tinubu to show leadership to ensure a just, sustainable, and prosperous future for all Nigerians.