Amnesty International accuses Shell of systematic pollution in Niger Delta

For years, environmental organizations have made serious accusations against the oil giant over oil spills in Nigeria. A new report reveals a new extent of the violations.

Smeared with oil: A person in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, shows their hands. Photo: Seun Sanni/reuters

From Banjul Helena Kreiensiek

The Niger Delta in southern Nigeria—where one of Africa's longest rivers flows into the Atlantic—is crisscrossed by a vast network of oil and gas pipelines. They run close to houses, cut through fields, and cross rivers from which people fish and draw drinking water. The West African country is one of the continent's largest oil producers, and the raw material is one of its biggest economic drivers. But the price is high. Hundreds of oil spills occur every year, and local communities must live with the consequences.

A report published on Wednesday by Amnesty International and a coalition of other human rights organizations now heavily implicates the oil giant Shell. The paper is based on internal company documents, emails published as part of a court case in the UK, confidential audit reports, and other materials.

These documents suggest that the inadequate maintenance of oil pipelines and production facilities by Shell's former Nigerian subsidiary, SPDC, significantly contributed to massive environmental pollution in the Niger Delta for years. The documents thus support allegations made by affected communities for years and paint a picture of systematic failures in Shell's oil business in the Niger Delta.

Key Allegations

• Sabotage tolerance: Instead of repairing damaged pipelines as required, management allegedly tolerated acts of sabotage by oil thieves—despite known environmental risks. Illegal tapping points were reportedly left in place because their removal would have resulted in "significant system downtime." This practice led to the Nigerian company responsible for pipeline safety accusing Shell as early as 2013 of being complicit in oil theft.

• Infrastructure neglect: Dilapidated infrastructure was not regularly replaced, contrary to the company's own guidelines.

• Corruption and regulatory violations: The subsidiary SPDC is said to have been involved in corruption and regulatory violations.

Environmental Pollution at the Expense of the Local Population

It is a whole series of serious allegations that highlight years of environmental pollution at the expense of the local population. As early as 2011, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) documented the massive contamination of affected soils as well as groundwater and drinking water. According to a report by independent scientists, toxins have long since been found in the human food chain, entering the bloodstream and tissues of people in the affected communities.

Sometimes rusty pipelines and dilapidated facilities are the cause; sometimes oil thieves tap into the pipelines to process crude oil in makeshift refineries. What remains is a landscape whose soil, water, and air are gradually being contaminated.

Legal Context

The background to the disclosed documents is a court case ongoing since 2015 brought by the Nigerian communities of Bille and Ogale, who accuse Shell of having tolerated environmental pollution for decades.

Shell's Response

Shell rejects the allegations. It claims that selective quoting has created a misleading picture. The presentation also does not take into account the difficult environment in the Niger Delta at the time, with massive oil theft, sabotage, and illegal refining by criminal groups, as well as efforts to clean up the pollution, the company said in a statement.

Criticism from Activists

For Isaac Osuoka, this is not enough: "After Shell has profited from oil in the Niger Delta for decades, the company must not shift the risks of outdated infrastructure and legacy pollution onto the communities or onto a buyer."