Shell divestment sparks calls for remediation in Niger Delta

Rights advocates have criticized Shell’s divestment from its oil business in the Niger Delta, labeling the process “irresponsible.” During a training workshop in Port Harcourt, Chinwike Okereke, Executive Director of the African Law Foundation (AfriLaw), alleged that both Shell and the Nigerian Federal Government sidelined host communities during the transfer of assets and liabilities.

Okereke argued that responsible divestment requires meaningful consultation with the communities that have endured the environmental and social consequences of oil production. He characterized the lack of community involvement as a violation of rights and a failure of the government to protect its citizens.

AfriLaw has called on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and other institutions to initiate a remediation process. Advocates insist that justice for affected communities must include compensation and the cleanup of environmental damage caused by oil operations to ensure these legacies are not abandoned following the divestment.