The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has moved to curb oil spillage in the Niger Delta region and other oil-producing areas across Nigeria.
The agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with F1 Consulting in Abuja on Thursday to strengthen oil spill response and training NOSDRA personnel.
The agreement is aimed at enhancing the agency’s effectiveness in mitigating environmental pollution in oil-producing communities.
Speaking at the signing, NOSDRA’s Director-General, Mr. Chukwuemeka Woke, emphasized the agency’s dedication to fulfilling its mandate. He expressed optimism that the collaboration would yield significant results in protecting communities affected by oil spills.
“With the establishment and signing of this MoU, we believe this will go a long way in solving the problem of pollution and oil spillages in our various communities,” Woke said.
He called on oil companies and stakeholders to support the agency’s efforts and ensure prompt reporting of spills instead of withholding crucial information.
In his remarks, Mr. Jude Ndubisi, Lead Consultant of F1 Consulting, noted that the partnership seeks to institutionalize Nigeria’s national oil spill contingency plan at the grassroots level, particularly within host communities.
“The national spill contingencies plan is the primary document that talks about spill response strategies as a country.
“This document for a very long time has not been institutionalised down to the host communities.
“So, we are trying to build a partnership and synergy with NOSDRA to bring the provisions of the national spill contingency plan down to the communities where the oil installations exist,” he said.
NOSDRA seeks collaboration with local communities, others
He further stressed the importance of collaboration between oil license holders, government agencies, and local communities to enhance environmental preservation.
Also speaking, Mrs. Katherine George, NOSDRA’s Director of Legal Services, described the MoU as being in line with the agency’s core mandate of ensuring zero tolerance for oil spillage.
“We believe this MoU will accomplish NOSDRA’s goals and mission of achieving zero oil spillage in the country,” she said.
What you should know
- Oil spills remain a major environmental challenge in Nigeria, particularly in the Niger Delta, where frequent leakages from pipelines and oil installations have led to severe pollution, affecting local livelihoods and ecosystems.
- Nairametrics reported that Nigeria recorded at least 589 oil spills in 2024, according to data mined from the Oil Spill Monitor, a satellite tracker of NOSDRA.
- The data shows that most of the spills are caused by oil theft and sabotage of oil installations.