Niger Delta Stakeholders Demand Halt to Oil Bloc Licensing Review

CSOs Demand Halt to IOC Divestment in Niger Delta

• A coalition of local and international CSOs urged President Bola Tinubu to pause all divestment plans by International Oil Corporations (IOCs) in the Niger Delta.
• They insisted that Shell, Total, ENI, and other IOCs address environmental and social issues tied to their operations before exiting.
• The group also supported the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) decision to deny Shell’s request to sell its remaining shares in SPDC.

The coalition of over 120 civil society groups, including Amnesty International Nigeria, Diaspora Climate Platform (Belgium), and 350 Hawaii (USA), has asked President Tinubu to reject divestment requests from IOCs. Their concern is that these moves could worsen unresolved environmental and social damages in the Niger Delta.

They also called for a firm stance against Shell’s attempt to sell its remaining stakes in SPDC to the Renaissance consortium. Similarly, the group urged the government to reject plans by TotalEnergies to sell its Nigerian oil assets, emphasizing that such decisions could harm local communities, compromise Nigeria’s sovereignty, and undermine regulatory independence.

Niger Delta Stakeholders Challenge Oil Bloc Licensing

Separately, a group of Niger Delta stakeholders is demanding the reversal of the 2024 licensing and 2022/23 Mini Bid Round for oil blocs in the region. They claim the process violated the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and failed to follow fair and inclusive guidelines set by the NUPRC.

The stakeholders, represented by lawyer Blessing Agbomhere, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the NUPRC, threatening legal action if the Commission does not initiate a new, transparent bidding process. They argue that the current process discriminates against indigenous players in the oil-rich region.

The group comprises Niger Delta indigenes, including Undiandeye Akonfe, James Okeati, and Victor Akposeseye Okiri, who described themselves as committed to peace and prosperity in the region. They are urging fairness and equity in all decisions impacting the Niger Delta’s resources.

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