Àwọn Ọ̀rọ̀ Àyíká Ní Niger Delta

Environmental issues in the Niger Deltaare caused byits petroleum industry.The delta covers 20,000 km(7,700 sq mi) withinwetlandsof 70,000 km(27,000 sq mi) formed primarily bysedimentdeposition. Home to 20 million people and 40 differentethnic groups, thisfloodplainmakes up 7.5% of Nigeria's total land mass.It is the largest wetland and maintains the third-largestdrainage basininAfrica.The Delta's environment can be broken down into fourecologicalzones:coastal barrier islands,mangrove swamp forests, freshwaterswamps, and lowlandrainforests.Fishingandfarmingare the main sources of livelihoods for majority of her residents.
This incredibly well-endowedecosystemcontains one of the highest concentrations ofbiodiversityon the planet, in addition to supporting abundantfloraandfauna, arable terrain that can sustain a wide variety of crops,lumberor agriculturaltrees, and more species offreshwater fishthan any ecosystem inWest Africa.The region could experience a loss of 40% of its habitable terrain in the next thirty years as a result of extensivedamconstruction in the region. The advent ofoil productionhas also negatively impacted the Niger Delta region due to unprecedented oil spillage which has been ongoing for the past 5 decades making the region one of the most polluted in the world. It is estimated that while theEuropean Unionexperienced 10 incidences of oil spills in 40 years, Nigeria recorded 9,343 cases within 10 years.The carelessness of the oil industry has also precipitated this situation, which can perhaps be best encapsulated by a 1983 report issued by theNNPC, long before popular unrest surfaced:
The resultantenvironmental degradationfrom gasflaring,dredgingof larger rivers,oil spillageand reclamation of land due to oil and gas extraction across the Niger Delta region costs about US$758 million every year.Regrettably, 75% of the cost is borne by the local communities through polluted water, infertile farmland and lostbiodiversity.
TheDepartment of Petroleum Resourcesestimated that 1.89 million barrels ofpetroleumwere spilled into theNiger Deltabetween 1976 and 1996 out of a total of 2.4 million barrels thatspilled in 4,835 incidents.(approximately 220 thousandcubic metres). AUnited Nations Development Programme(UNDP) report states that there have been a total of 6,817 oil spills between 1976 and 2001, which account for a loss of three million barrels of oil, of which more than 70% were not recovered.69% of these spills occurred off-shore, a quarter was inswampsand 6% spilled on land.Bronwen Manby, then researcher in the Africa Division of Human Rights Watch, documented in July 1997 that "according to the official estimates of theNigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC)... approximately 2,300 cubic meters (610,000 U.S. gal) of oil are spilled in 300 separate incidents annually. It can be safely assumed that, due to under-reporting, the real figure is substantially higher: conservative estimates place it at up to ten times higher."
TheNigerian National Petroleum Corporationplaces the quantity of petroleum jettisoned into the environment yearly at 2,300 cubic metres (19,000 US bbl) with an average of 300 individual spills annually.However, because this amount does not take into account "minor" spills, theWorld Bankargues that the true quantity of petroleum spilled into the environment could be as much as ten times the officially claimed amount.The largest individual spills include the blowout of aTexacooffshore station which in 1980 dumped an estimation amounting toSabotage400,000 barrels (64,000 m) ofcrude oilinto theGulf of GuineaandRoyal Dutch Shell'sForcadosTerminal tank failure which produced a spillage estimated at 580,000 barrels (92,000 m).In 2010 Baird reported that between 9 million and 13 million barrels have been spilled in theNiger Deltasince 1958.One source even calculates that the total amount of petroleum in barrels spilled between 1960 and 1997 is upwards of 100 million barrels (16,000,000 m).United nation's report of 2011 documented the environment of the Niger Delta is so polluted that it could take 25 to 30 years to reverse the associated sustainability consequences of the pollution.
Acatastrophic spill occurred on May 1, 2010at anExxonMobiloffshoreoil platformapproximately 35 to 45 kilometres (20 to 25 nautical miles) from shore. The rupture spewed more than 3.8 megalitres (1 million US gallons) of crude into the Delta. Because the spill occurred just 10 days after theDeepwater Horizon oil spillin theGulf of Mexico, people affected by repeated spills in the Niger Delta noted "massive differences" in international response to these disasters and relative lack of media coverage for such events in Nigeria.
Most of the oil infrastructure is old and lacks regular inspection or maintenance.Half of all spills occur due topipelineand tanker corrosion and accidents (50%), other causes includesabotage(28%) and oil production operations (21%), with 1% of the spills being accounted for by inadequate or non-functional production equipment.
A reason thatcorrosionaccounts for such a high percentage of all spills is that as a result of the small size of the oilfields in theNiger Delta, there is an extensive network of pipelines between the fields, as well as numerous small networks of flowlines—the narrow diameter pipes that carry oil from wellheads to flowstations—allowing many opportunities for leaks. In onshore areas most pipelines and flowlines are laid above ground. Pipelines, which have an estimate life span of about fifteen years, are old and susceptible to corrosion. Many of the pipelines are as old as twenty to twenty-five years.
Shell admits that "most of the facilities were constructed between the 1960s and early 1980s to the then prevailing standards. SPDC [Shell Petroleum and Development Company] would not build them that way today.”Sabotageis performed primarily through what is known as "bunkering", whereby thesaboteurattempts to tap the pipeline. In the process of extraction sometimes the pipeline is damaged or destroyed. Oil extracted in this manner can often be sold.
Sabotage and theft through oilsiphoninghas become a major issue in theNiger River Deltastates as well, contributing to further environmental degradation.Damaged lines may go unnoticed for days, and repair of the damaged pipes takes even longer. Oilsiphoninghas become a big business, with the stolen oil quickly making its way onto theblack market.
While the popularity of selling stolen oil increases, the number of deaths caused by explosion increase as well. In late December 2006 more than 200 people were killed in theLagosregion ofNigeriain an oil line explosion.
Nigerianregulations of the oil industry are weak and rarely enforced, allowing in essence, the industry to self-regulate.
Oil spillagehas a major impact on the ecosystem into which it is released and may constituteecocide.Immense tracts of themangrove forests, which are especially susceptible to oil (mainly because it is stored in thesoiland re-released annually during inundations), have been destroyed. An estimated 5 to 10% of Nigerian mangroveecosystemshave been wiped out either by settlementor oil. The rainforest which previously occupied some 7,400 km(2,900 sq mi) of land has disappeared as well.Spills in populated areas often spread out over a wide area, destroying crops andaquaculturesthrough contamination of thegroundwaterand soils. The consumption of dissolved oxygen bybacteriafeeding on the spilledhydrocarbonsalso contributes to the death of fish.In agricultural communities, often a year's supply of food can be destroyed instantaneously.The Niger River has been invaded bywater hyacinth, which thrives in polluted environments but clogs waterways and competes with native plants.
People in the affected areas complain about health issues including breathing problems and skin lesions; many have lost basic human rights such as health, access to food, clean water, and an ability to work.
On January 30, 2013, a Dutch court ruled that Shell is liable for the pollution in the Niger Delta.In January 2015, Shell agreed to pay $80 million to theOgonilandcommunity of Bodo for two oil spills in 2008 after a court case inLondon.
In 2011, Nigeria commissioned a report from the United Nations on the impact of oil extraction in the delta area of 'Ogoniland'.The report found severe soil ground and tapwater contamination, destruction ofmangroves, and "that institutional control measures in place both in the oil industry and the Government were not implemented adequately."The UN concluded it would take over 30 years to reverse the damage.Based on thoserecommendations,[1]in August 2017 Nigeria launched a $1 billion clean-up and restoration program.In January 2019 engineers first arrived to begin the cleanup.
In 2019, the Nigerian government came underscrutinywhen a memo from PresidentMuhammadu Buhari'soffice directed theNigerian National Petroleum Corporationto take over the Ogoniland oil wells from Shell "and ensure smooth re-entry."NGOs and theMovement for the Survival of the Ogoni Peoplehave protested the proposed action.
The federal government of Nigeria through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation disbursed the sum of $180m as the take off fee for the 21 selected companies out of the 400 companies that bid for the contract.
Vegetation in the Niger River Delta consists of extensivemangrove forests,brackishswamp forests, andrainforests. The large expanses ofmangroveforests are estimated to cover approximately 5,000 to 8,580 km(1,900 to 3,300 sq mi) of land.Mangroves remain very important to the indigenous people of Nigeria as well as to the various organisms that inhabit theseecosystems.
Human impact from poor land management upstream coupled with the constant pollution of petroleum has caused five to ten percent of these mangrove forests to disappear. Thevolatile, quickly penetrating, andviscousproperties of petroleum have wiped out large areas of vegetation. When spills occur close to and within thedrainage basin, the hydrologic force of both the river and tides force spilled petroleum to move up into areas of vegetation.
Mangroveforests are included in a highly complextrophicsystem. If oil directly affects any organism within an ecosystem, it can indirectly affect a host of other organisms. These floral communities rely onnutrient cycling, clean water, sunlight, and proper substrates. With ideal conditions they offer habitat structure, and input of energy viaphotosynthesisto the organisms they interact with. The effects of petroleum spills on mangroves are known to acidify the soils, haltcellular respiration, and starve roots of vital oxygen.
An area of mangroves that has been destroyed by petroleum may be susceptible to other problems. These areas may not be suitable for any native plant growth until bacteria and microorganisms can remediate the conditions. A particular species of mangrove,Rhizophoraracemosa, lives higher in the delta system. As the soils supportingR. racemosabecome too toxic, a non-native invasive species of palm,Nypa fruticans, quickly colonizes the area. This invasive species has a shallower root system that destabilizes the banks along the waterways, further affecting sediment distribution lower in the delta system.N. fruticansalso impedes navigation and decreases overallbiodiversity. In places whereN. fruticanshas invaded, communities are investigating how the palm can be used by local people.
The loss of mangrove forests is not only degrading life for plants and animals, but for humans as well. These systems are highly valued by the indigenous people living in the affected areas. Mangrove forests have been a major source of wood for local people. They also are important to a variety of species vital to subsistence practices for local indigenous groups, who unfortunately see little to none of the economic benefits of petroleum. Mangroves also provide essential habitat for rare and endangered species like themanateeandpygmy hippopotamus. Poor policy decisions regarding the allocation of petroleum revenue has caused political unrest in Nigeria.This clash among governing bodies, oil corporations, and the people of Nigeria has resulted insabotageto petroleum pipelines, further exacerbating the threat to mangrove forests.
The future for mangrove forests and other floral communities is not all negative. Local and outside groups have provided funds and labor to remediate and restore the destroyed mangrove swamps. The federal government of Nigeria established theNiger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) in 2000 which aims to suppress the environmental and ecological impacts petroleum has had in the region. Governmental and nongovernmental organizations have also utilized technology to identify the source and movement of petroleum spills.
The fishing industry is an essential part of Nigeria's sustainability because it provides much needed protein and nutrients for people, but with the higher demand on fishing, fish populations are declining as they are being depleted faster than they are able to restore their number.Fishingneeds to be limited along the Niger River and aquacultures should be created to provide for the growing demand on the fishing industry.Aquacultureallows for fish to be farmed for production and provide more jobs for the local people ofNigeria.
Overfishing is not the only impact on marine communities. Climate change, habitat loss, and pollution are all added pressures to these important ecosystems. The banks of theNiger Riverare desirable and ideal locations for people to settle. The river provides water for drinking, bathing, cleaning, and fishing for both the dinner table and trading to make a profit. As the people have settled along the shores of the rivers and coasts, marine and terrestrial habitats are being lost and ecosystems are being drastically changed. The shoreline along the Niger River is important in maintaining the temperature of the water because the slightest change in water temperature can be fatal to certain marine species. Trees and shrubs provide shade and habitat for marine species, while reducing fluctuation in water temperature.
The Niger River is an important ecosystem that needs to be protected, for it is home to 36 families and nearly 250 species of fish, of which 20 areendemic, meaning they are found nowhere else on Earth.With the loss of habitat and the climate getting warmer, every prevention of temperature increase is necessary to maintain some of the marine environments. Other than restoring habitat, pollution can also be reduced. Problems such aspesticidesfrom agricultural fields could be reduced if a natural pesticide was used, or the fields were moved farther away from the local waterways.Oil pollutioncan be lowered as well; if spills were reduced then habitat and environmental impacts could be minimized. Oil Contamination affects the fish population and affects the farmers that rely on fishing to support their family. By enforcing laws and holding oil companies accountable for their actions the risk of contamination can be greatly reduced.By limiting the devastation caused by disturbances to themarine environment, such as pollution, overfishing, and habitat loss, the productivity andbiodiversityof the marine ecosystems would increase.
Nigeria flares morenatural gasassociated withoil extractionthan any other country, with estimates suggesting that of the 3.5 billion cubic feet (100,000,000 m³) of associated gas (AG) produced annually, 2.5 billion cubic feet (70,000,000 m³), or about 70%, is wasted by flaring.This equals about 25% of the UK's total natural gas consumption and is the equivalent to 40% of Africa's gas consumption in 2001. Statistical data associated withgas flaringare notoriously unreliable, but Nigeria may waste US$2 billion per year by flaring associated gas.
Flaring is done as it is costly to separate commercially viable associated gas from the oil. Companies operating in Nigeria also harvest natural gas for commercial purposes but prefer to extract it from deposits where it is found in isolation as non-associated gas. Thus associated gas is burned off to decrease costs.
Gas flaring is generally discouraged as it releases toxic components into the atmosphere and contributes toclimate change. Inwestern Europe99% of associated gas is used or re-injected into the ground. Gas flaring in Nigeria began simultaneously with oil extraction in the 1960s by Shell-BP. Alternatives to flaring are gas re-injection or to store it for use as an energy source. If properly stored, the gas could be used for community projects.
Gas flaring releases of large amounts ofmethane, which has a highglobal warming potential. The methane is accompanied by the other majorgreenhouse gas,carbon dioxide, of which Nigeria was estimated to have emitted more than 34.38 million metric tons of in 2002, accounting for about 50% of all industrial emissions in the country and 30% of the totalÀdàkọ:CO2emissions. While flaring in the west has been minimized, in Nigeria it has grown proportionally with oil production.
The international community, the Nigerian government, and the oil corporations seem in agreement that gas flaring needs to be curtailed. Efforts to do so, however, have been limited although flaring has been declared illegal since 1984 under section 3 of the "Associated Gas Reinjection Act" of Nigeria.
WhileOPECandShell, the biggest flarer of natural gas in Nigeria, alike claim that only 50% of all associated gas is burnt off via flaring, these data are contested. The World Bank reported in 2004 that, "Nigeria currently flares 75% of the gas it produces."
Gas flares have potentially harmful effects on the health and livelihood of nearby communities, as they release poisonous chemicals includingnitrogen dioxides,sulphur dioxide,volatile organic compoundslikebenzene,toluene,xyleneandhydrogen sulfide, as well ascarcinogenslikebenzapyreneanddioxins. Humans exposed to such substances can suffer fromrespiratory problems. These chemicals can aggravateasthma, cause breathing difficulties and pain, as well aschronic bronchitis.Benzene, known to be emitted from gas flares in undocumented quantities, is well recognized as a cause forleukemiaand other blood-related diseases. A study done by Climate Justice estimates that exposure to benzene would result in eight new cases ofcanceryearly inBayelsa Statealone.
Gas flares are often close to communities and regularly lack fencing or protection for villagers who risk working near their heat. Many communities claim that nearby flares causeacid rainwhich corrodes their homes and other structures, many of which havezinc-based roofing. Some people resort to usingasbestos-based material, which is stronger in repelling acid rain deterioration.Unfortunately, this contributes to their declining health and the health of their environment. Asbestos exposure increases the risk of forminglung cancer,pleuralandperitoneal mesothelioma, andasbestosis.
Whether or not flares contribute to acid rain is debatable, as some independent studies conducted have found that thesulphur dioxideandnitrous oxidecontent of most flares was insufficient to establish a link between flaring and acid rain. Other studies from theU.S. Energy Information Administration(EIA) report that gas flaring is "a major contributor to air pollution and acid rain."
Older flares are rarely relocated away from villages and are known to coat the land and communities withsootand to damage adjacent vegetation. Almost no vegetation can grow in the area directly surrounding the flares due to their heat.
In November 2005 a judgment by the Federal High Court of Nigeria ordered that gas flaring must stop in a Niger Delta community as it violates guaranteed constitutional rights to life and dignity. In a case brought against the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (Shell),Justice C. V. Nwokorie ruled in Benin City that "the damaging and wasteful practice of flaring cannot lawfully continue." As of May 2011, Shell had not ceased gas flaring in Nigeria.
Àdàkọ:POV sectionThe use ofbiological remediationhas also been implemented in areas of the delta to detoxify and restore ecosystems damaged by oil spills.Bioremediationinvolves biological components in theremediationor cleanup of a specific site. A study conducted in Ogbogu located in one of the largest oil producing regions of Nigeria has utilized two plant species to clean up spills. The first stage of cleanup involvesHibiscus cannabinus, a plant species indigenous to West Africa.H. cannabinusis an annual herbaceous plant originally used for pulp production. This species has high rates of absorbency and can be laid down on top of the water to absorb oil. The oil saturated plant material is then removed and sent to a safe location where thehydrocarbonscan be broken down and detoxified by microorganisms. The second stage of bioremediation involves a plant known asVetiveria zizanioides, a perennial grass species.V. zizanioideshas a deepfibrousroot network that can both tolerate chemicals in the soil and can alsodetoxifysoils through time requiring little maintenance. The people of Ogbogu hope to use these methods ofbioremediationto improve the quality of drinking water, soil conditions, and the health of their surrounding environment.
However bleak this situation may seem for theNiger Delta regionthere are clearly alternatives that can be implemented to save it from future contamination. Satellite imagery combined with the use ofGeographical Information Systems(GIS) can be put to work to quickly identify and track spilled oil. To hasten the cleanup of spills, regional cleanup sites along the problem areas could help contain spills more quickly. To make these tasks feasible more funding must be provided by thestakeholdersof the oil industry. Non governmental organizations will keep fighting the damaging effects of oil, but will not win the battle alone.
Conflict in the Niger Deltarose sharply in the early 1990s resulting from deteriorating environmental conditions for local inhabitants stemming from majoroil spillsand otherpetroleum extractionactivities offoreignBig oilcompanies and their contractors.Many of theNiger Delta's inhabitants, including minority ethnic groups, particularly theOgoniand theIjawpeople, feel they are being exploited and their ability to earn a living on their land is being undermined.Ethnic and political unrest continued throughout the 1990s despite the return todemocracyand the election of theObasanjogovernment in 1999.
TheMovement for the Survival of the Ogoni People(MOSOP) is a grass-rootssocial movementorganization of the indigenousOgoni peopleof Central Niger Delta. MOSOP is an umbrella organization of eleven member groups that together represent over 700,000 indigenous Ogoni in anon-violentcampaign for social, economic andenvironmental justicein the Niger Delta.MOSOP was founded in 1990 by the award-winning environmental activistKen Saro-Wiwa.
Several communities and states within the Niger Delta region of Nigeria has experienced flooding which has affected economic activities. In 2022, Rivers, Anambra, Delta, Cross River and Bayelsa states experienced different degrees of flooding which led to loss of lives and properties.It was reported that in 2022 alone, about 603 lives were lost to flooding while over one million persons were displaced as a result of the flood.
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Àdàkọ:Petroleum industryCoordinates:5°19′N6°25′E﻿ / ﻿5.317°N 6.417°E﻿ /5.317; 6.417