Nigeria was devastated by two oil spills in 2008, and it's still trying to clean up the mess. It may finally recover with a trial to hold those responsible accountable.
According to Amnesty International, in October 2024, "the Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Nigerian communities over alleged pollution by oil giant Shell." In December, the court gave the trial a green light.
What's happening?
Back in 2008, Shell had a subsidiary in Nigeria called Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC). Two of its pipelines in the Bodo community located in the Niger Delta area leaked oil continuously for five weeks into local waterways.
Shell admitted responsibility and settled with the community in 2014, but it has yet to clean up the mess left in the waterways. Even the mediation process, started in 2015, didn't help the situation.
Shell sold its subsidiary in March 2025, and it's now Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited (RAEC).
"Ahead of the sale, Amnesty International called for Shell to be held accountable for the environmental damage they had caused," per Amnesty International.
The current legal claim is against RAEC.
Why is the lawsuit important?
The Bodo community relies on these mangroves for their livelihoods, and they also provide habitats for wildlife.
Unfortunately, according to the International Oil Spill Conference, "vast areas of the Niger Delta of former mangroves are completely or nearly completely dead and retain highly contaminated base sediments."
Nigeria's delta region faced another oil spill in December 2024, following a pipe rupture. It was once again from a pipe owned by Shell.
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Absolutely 💯 What's being done about the cleanup effort?
Amnesty International Nigeria Director Isa Sanusi said, "It is shameful that it has taken so long and required legal action to get the companies responsible for this environmental destruction to face their responsibilities."
He added, "We hope that this long overdue trial will provide the affected Bodo communities the justice and remediation they have fought for and deserve."
Despite taking responsibility for the oil spills, Shell has not fulfilled its promise to clean up the mess. Shell's behavior is a prime example of why it is essential to educate yourself about greenwashing, as sometimes these practices can be hard to identify.
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