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Tag: NOSDRA

  • NGO reiterates N50b demand over spills

    NGO reiterates N50b demand over spills

    Environmental rights group, Save the Earth and Secure the Future (SESF), has reiterated its demand for N50 billion compensation and full cleanup of affected communities, and investigation of concerned National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) officials over perceived “ecocide” linked to multiple oil spills in OML 40.

    In a statement signed by Mr. Nehemiah Tobolayefa and Mrs. Tari Gideon, the group accused Nigeria Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL) and ELCREST of failing to clean up the October 28, 2023 spill and two subsequent spills, as well as allegedly dumping hazardous waste around the Opuama Flow Station.

    “They have become the mouthpiece of the companies. A rat defends the snake that bites him, while the forest burns,” the group said, criticising community leaders who recently defended the operators.

    SESF said a joint investigation visit occurred nearly two weeks after the 2023 spill and confirmed equipment failure. It cited earlier petitions and press briefings by community elders in 2024 which it said were ignored by the companies.

    The group invoked Section 54 of the Petroleum Industry Act and EGASPIN guidelines to argue that NEPL and ELCREST are legally responsible for cleanup, including so-called legacy spills. 

    It also claimed rising deaths and cancer cases in the area, referencing the UNEP Ogoniland report.

    Efforts to get reactions from NEPL and NOSDRA were unsuccessful, as both did not respond to earlier messages seeking comments on the matter.

  • NOSDRA, NIPC, ICPC top 2025 transparency index

    NOSDRA, NIPC, ICPC top 2025 transparency index

    • Over 500 MDAs rank low

    The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has been rated as the most transparent public institution in Nigeria. This is according to the 2025 Transparency and Integrity Index (TII).

    In the report unveiled in Abuja by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), NOSDRA led all 575 assessed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with a score of 78.84 per cent.

    The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission came second with 78.21 per cent, while the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission scored 78.13 per cent to place the third most transparent agency.

    However, most federal institutions scored poorly in the report, with many falling below the 50 per cent benchmark for average on openness, accountability, and compliance with statutory disclosure requirements.

    While presenting the report, the Executive Director of the Centre, Umar Yakubu, noted that public institutions were statutorily required under the Fiscal Responsibility Act (2007), the Freedom of Information Act (2011), and the Public Procurement Act (2007) to publish information such as budgets, procurement details, recruitment policies, audit reports, and anti-corruption frameworks.

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    According to the Centre, the index was conceived to strengthen integrity mechanisms in Nigeria’s public sector by assessing whether MDAs publish vital information on their websites and portals as required by law.

    The assessment focused on five key variables, namely, financial transparency, procurement, human resources and inclusion, control of corruption, and citizen engagement, with each attracting 20 per cent.

    A review of the report showed that out of 575 public institutions assessed, only six crossed the 50 per cent average threshold.

    Apart from the earlier listed agencies, Development Bank of Nigeria (62.60 per cent), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (54.12 per cent) and Bank of Industry (51.29 per cent) were ranked 4th, 5th and 6th respectively.

    Conversely, over 400 institutions scored within the range of 36 and 10 per cent, with no evidence of publishing basic governance information online.

    More alarming was that about 100 institutions recorded below 10, while nine institutions scored zero.

    This means that they failed to publish any of the required information on budgets, procurement, staffing, or anti-corruption policies.

    Many of these included federal colleges, polytechnics, teaching hospitals, and river basin authorities.

    For instance, Nigerian Coal Corporation, Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board, Federal Medical Centre Katsina, Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, Baga, Hadrian-Jama’are River Basin Development Authority, and Metallurgical Training Institute Onitsha scored zero in the ranking.

    Also, key ministries fared poorly. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development were graded zero.

    The Ministry of Power (21.0 per cent), the Ministry of Works and Housing (14.50 per cent), Ministry of Health (14.50 per cent), and Ministry of Defence (14.50 per cent) ranked low, which further highlighted persistent opacity in sectors critical to Nigeria’s development.

  • NOSDRA vows to deal with oil firms violating environmental regulations

    NOSDRA vows to deal with oil firms violating environmental regulations

    The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Chukwuemeka Woke, has called on oil companies to comply with environmental regulations or face the full force of the law.

    Speaking during a familiarisation visit to the agency’s zonal headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday, Woke said NOSDRA has a sacred mandate to regulate the oil industry’s environmental impact and would not tolerate any form of non-compliance or disregard for regulations.

    Insisting that no oil company was above the law, Woke said: “We will hold every operator accountable for their actions and ensure that they adhere to the strictest standards of environmental responsibility.”

    He assured that his leadership would not be compromised by vested interests or industrial pressure, or be cowed, saying he was committed to upholding the law and ensuring that all operators, including International Oil Companies (IOCs), complied with NOSDRA’s regulations.

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    He said: “Having said that, let me address the issue raised by the head of the NOSDRA reference laboratory, I want to assure you that I am not the kind of DG that any oil company would take for a ride.

    “Any oil industry, be it IOCs, or anybody must comply with the regulations of NOSDRA. NOSDRA is not just a private company but an establishment by an Act of law and so we represent the federal government and we are to regulate the operations of the oil industry as it relates to oil and gas pollution and spillage and so nobody, no oil company is above the law.

    “If they want to think they can reach me, I am not the type of DG that they would reach. So let the message go very clearly now, we must do the needful, they must grant you access to take samples and we must get the results. Be rest assured that you are protected as long as you are committed to your work.”

    The DG also addressed members of staff of the agency and assured them of his commitment to taking the agency to the next level.

    Woke was conducted round the office by the Zonal Director, Ime Ekanem, and the Head of the NOSDRA Reference Laboratory, Dr Kenneth Aroh where he visited the analytical, microbiological, Ecotoxicological, and Web-Chemistry labs.

    He expressed gratitude to the employees for their dedication to work and promised improvements in equipment and staff welfare.

    He said: “I have come to see things for myself, and I assure you that there will be improvements,” he said. “But I need your commitment to work because your productivity output is what I will be appraised with at the Ministry of Environment.

    “I am the one, who will decide on your promotions. Your work will be assessed, and I will say yes or no to your advancement. My true allies are those who are committed to their work. I eagerly anticipate seeing your accomplishments.”

  • President appoints new heads for NOSDRA, OORBDA

    President appoints new heads for NOSDRA, OORBDA

    President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of two new Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) to head the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA).

    A statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said Chukwuemeka Woke was named the Director-General/CEO of NOSDRA, while Dr. Adedeji Ashiru is the new Managing Director/CEO of OORBDA.

    The statement reads: “President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Chukwuemeka Woke as the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

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    “Furthermore, the President has approved the appointment of Dr. Adedeji Ashiru as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA).

    “Woke, besides being an engineer, is an environmental specialist and politician. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical/Petrochemical Engineering, and had served under the Environmental, Safety, and Operations Departments of the then Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    “He was Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State and Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, for many years.

    “Dr. Ashiru holds a Doctorate in Engineering from the Common Wealth University, UK, and has led a consortium of blue-chip companies, in addition to earning many stripes in his professional endeavour.

    “The President expects the new Chief Executive Officers to deploy their competencies to these critical agencies for sustainable gains and turnaround, while maintaining utmost transparency in their operations.”

    Ashiru studied Mechanical Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and holds Masters in Ocean & offshore Technology With specialization in Pipeline and Subsea Engineering from the renowned Cranfield University, United Kingdom, a Doctorate in Engineering from Common Wealth University, UK.

     He also studied Executive Education on Sustainable Business Strategy from Harvard Business School, USA and Leadership & Management from London Graduate School, UK.

     Ashiru is a Fellow of Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE) and also a member of The Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). 

     He’s also  on the Board of Advisors of Metropolitan School of Business and Management, UK. Ashiru’s from the famous Ashiru family in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

     He has assisted in no small measures the downtrodden in the society through his EDA Empowerment foundation within and outside Ogun State.

  • Strengthening environmental surveillance: NOSDRA’s strategic shift toward risk-based pollution mapping

    Strengthening environmental surveillance: NOSDRA’s strategic shift toward risk-based pollution mapping

    By Oluchi Ibinabo

    In Nigeria’s oil-producing regions, where communities frequently face the dual threats of industrial contamination and ecological collapse, a new chapt er in environmental surveillance is quietly unfolding. 

    At the helm of this shift is the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), now adopting precision tools that reflect a deeper integration of science into governance.

    Traditionally, NOSDRA operated under reactive protocols, mobilizing only after oil spills or toxic discharges had left devastation in their wake. But recent updates to its operational strategy suggest a more forward-looking approach. 

    In 2021, the agency identified fifteen communities in Rivers State as “high-risk pollution zones,” warranting immediate remediation and preventive action. This designation was not based on anecdotal assessments but was derived from a sophisticated framework known as Pollution Risk-Based Mapping.

    This mapping methodology stratifies vulnerable zones based on chemical signatures, density of ecological assets, human exposure rates, and proximity to industrial corridors. 

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    It enables the agency to preemptively prioritize regions that face imminent ecological and public health risks, fostering proactive environmental interventions and strategic funding allocation.

    The science driving this transformation reflects a collaborative effort between institutional leadership and grassroots research innovation. Insights gathered during the 2022 World Wetlands Day event at the University of Port Harcourt, organized by the Fisheries Society Congress, drew national attention to the worsening environmental crises in the Niger Delta. 

    Panelists such as Prof. Emeka Donald Anyanwu, a public health toxicologist, and Dr. Kenneth Sam of the Save Nigerian Mangrove Foundation delivered data-backed warnings about the consequences of oil-based degradation, including lead contamination, hypoxia events, and ecosystem service collapse.

    One framework that supported NOSDRA’s analytical capabilities emerged from a study presented during this forum, credited for equipping the agency with vital tools to stratify ecological threats and optimize response efforts. According to NOSDRA’s Port Harcourt Coordinator, the model played a “pivotal role in shaping environmental strategy.”

    That framework was developed by Nigerian experts committed to safeguarding biodiversity, public health, and regional sustainability. Among these contributors was aquatic ecotoxicologist Dr. Davies Ibienebo Chris, whose expertise reflects the broader collaboration within the nation’s environmental science community.

    NOSDRA’s embrace of research-informed decision-making demonstrates Nigeria’s capacity to bridge the gap between scholarship and policy. This approach has strengthened the country’s ability to anticipate ecological threats, intervene early, and protect the lives and livelihoods of millions living in vulnerable coastal zones.

    By anchoring its remediation efforts in indigenous science, NOSDRA has set a transformative precedent, not only for Nigerian agencies, but for other nations confronting similar environmental challenges.

  • 3,000 barrels of crude oil lost to November 15 offshore spill, says NOSDRA

    3,000 barrels of crude oil lost to November 15 offshore spill, says NOSDRA

    About 3,000 barrels of crude oil were lost to the November 15 oil spill from the offshore Egina Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel of TotalEnergies.

    The FPSO, located 130 kilometres off the Atlantic coastline from Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has capacity to produce 200,000 barrels of crude daily and can store 2.3 million barrels on board.

    The Director General of the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Mr. Idris Musa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja that the clean-up of the spill was ongoing.

    He said NOSDRA and TotalEnergies did not spare any effort in tackling the pollution to minimise its impact on the environment, a development that kept the spilled crude from reaching the coastline.

    “The spill has not hit the coastline because of the effectiveness of the spills contingency plan we deployed,” he said.

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    Musa explained that NOSDRA deployed high-level personnel and activated the National Oil Spills Contingency Plan to contain the spill.

    “The spill was not a minor one. It was the response strategy put in place that resulted to limited impact. We have been tracing and tracking the oil slick and supervising response efforts.

    “NOSDRA deployed personnel led by a director to the site and we have remained on the spill site as well as granting the requisite approvals to hasten the response,” he said.

    Musa said the TotalEnergies took steps that made the response swift and effective, adding that other oil companies assisted in the response.

    He stressed that spills clean-up required collaborative response of oil industry stakeholders, which, in this case, deployed aircraft and five vessels in the application of 15,000 litres of liquids to clean the waters.

  • We deployed aircraft, five vessels to contain leakage at oil firm’s field — NOSDRA

    We deployed aircraft, five vessels to contain leakage at oil firm’s field — NOSDRA

    The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has said that it deployed an aircraft, five vessels to contain the oil leakage from the Egina facility operated by TotalEnergies.

    According to the spills agency, the spill response aircraft and vessels were used to apply dispersants on the oil leak that occurred on November 15, a development that kept the spill from impacting the shorelines.

    Dispersants are said to be chemicals used in mopping up crude oil spills and acts by breaking down oil molecules.

    Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NOSDRA, Mr Idris Musa, gave an update on the response to the incident in a statement on Saturday.

    Musa explained that the agency promptly deployed its personnel to the spill site, a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in the Atlantic Ocean located about 130 kilometres off Rivers/Akwa Ibom coastline.

    According to him, the spill was caused by an operational mishap due to an export hose failure.

    He explained that the prompt response from the operator to the spill led to identification and leak stop as spilt crude was being contained to avoid further spread and damage to the environment.

    He said: “The Agency received the report of a crude oil spill incident from TotalEnergies Upstream Nigeria Plc which occurred from the company’s Egine Floating. Production Storage and Offload (FPSO) facility.

    “The spill is as a result of export hose snap on November 15 at 06:27 hrs. The facility is located deep offshore at a distance of 130 km from the shoreline, and ultra deep-water depth of 1150 m.The report of the incident complies with extant laws and regulations.

    Read Also: NOSDRA investigating explosion at Shell’s asset in Rivers

    “The operator of the FPSO immediately triggered all the required resources and commenced response activities under the effective guidance and supervision of the Agency.”

    The DG noted that since the incident was reported, the response team comprising staff of the agency and others, carried out aerial surveillance twice daily to track the progress of response activities.

    He said that to complement the response capabilities of the owner of the facility, other oil companies had been notified to provide response support, technical support remotely in determining the extent of the spread.

    Musa explained that additional resources including response equipment, personnel, and dispersants from Clean Nigeria Associates (CNA) were put to use.

    He noted: “Following a request from TotalEnergies, we facilitated entry into Nigeria, a Borba dispersant application aircraft and six expatriates from Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) Southampton, UK to hasten response activities.

    “The support results from the approval from relevant government agencies as contained in the Nation & Oil Spill Contingency Non (NOSCP) have been remarkable.”

    On the spill response operations, Musa said that TotalEnergies and the agency’s team departed to the site on November 18, with 15,000 litres of dispersant COREXIT 9500 for spraying.

    “The aircraft did three runs, spraying 10,500 litres of the dispersant on the affected areas while five vessels continued with mechanical agitation to breakdown the slick and carry out in-vessel spraying of dispersant.

    “Representatives from Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPPC) joined the response team from Lagos on November 21.

    “On Wednesday, November 22, 2023, the OSRL Aircraft and dispersants sprayer were demobilised having concluded on the window of opportunity for such exercise,” he said.

  • We deployed aircraft, five vessels to contain leakage at oil firm’s field – NOSDRA

    We deployed aircraft, five vessels to contain leakage at oil firm’s field – NOSDRA

    The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has said that it deployed an aircraft, five vessels to contain the oil leakage from Egina facility operated by TotalEnergies.

    According to the spills agency, the spills response aircraft and vessels were used to apply dispersants on the oil leak that occured on November 15, a development that kept the spill from impacting the shorelines.

    Dispersants are said to be chemicals used in mopping up crude oil spills and acts by breaking down oil molecules. 

    Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NOSDRA,  Mr Idris Musa,  gave an update on the response to the incident in a statement on Saturday.

    Read Also: NOSDRA investigating explosion at Shell’s asset in Rivers

    Musa explained that the agency promptly deployed its personnel to the spill site, a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel in the Atlantic Ocean  located about 130 kilometres off Rivers/Akwa Ibom coastline.

    According to him, the spill was caused by an operational mishap due to an export hose failure.

    He explained that the prompt response from the operator to the spill led to identification and leak stop as spilt crude was being contained to avoid further spread and damage to the environment.

  • NOSDRA fines oil firm for spillage

    The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency has fined the Python Engineering Company Ltd the sum of N260m for oil spillages caused by its vessel, MV Celine.

    NOSDRA sanctioned the oil company for spilling an estimated 250 barrels of AGO and two drums of lubricating oil which occurred at Escraves Breakwater, Delta State on April 19, 2018.

    READ ALSO: Aiteo: We didn’t hinder NOSDRA from investigating fire site

    Additional violations include failure to carry out the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) as required by the Oil Spill Recovery, Cleanup, Remediation, and Damage Assessment Regulations and failure to clean up the spills as required by section 6 (3) of the 2006 NOSDRA Act.

    The Director General of NOSDRA, Mr. Peter Idabor, in a notification letter, directed Python to pay to the agency the N130m each within twenty-one days for the AGO and the lubricating oil releases as sanctions for violating Sections 6 (2) of the NOSDRA Act of 2006.

    NOSDRA also required the violating company to provide logistics within three days for a damage assessment visit as required by the Agency rules and regulations.

  • Aiteo: We didn’t hinder NOSDRA from investigating fire site

    Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company (AEEPCo), the exploration and production arm of Aiteo Group, has said it did not stop National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency(NOSDRA) from investigating the fire incident at its oil well 7 in Nembe Creek, Bayelsa State on March 1.

    On March 2, 2019, several national and international media organisations had erroneously reported that scores of people were missing after an explosion occurred along the Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL), the major crude oil pipeline traversing the Nembe area. Aiteo is the operator of the NCTL as well as the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29.

    Further details on the incident from the affected area as well as statements from Aiteo and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) have cleared that it was not a pipeline explosion but a fire at a nearby oil well. Also, Aiteo stated that there was no casualty from the incident. This was corroborated by community people who later confirmed that there were no missing individuals.

    Fresh documents made available to reporters indicate that Aiteo had contacted the relevant agencies, including NOSDRA on the matter within 24 hours as stipulated by law. A document referenced AEEPCo/PRD/2019/05 and signed by its Chief Operating Officer, Emmanuel Ukegbu reads: “At the early hour of today 01/03/19, we received a report from the Mile 1 Community of a suspected explosion at Nembe Creek Well-7, following which, our Operation ER Team was triggered. Preliminary investigation suspects a possible explosion that resulted into fire at about 01.00 hours in the vicinity of Nembe Creek Well-7.By 01:30hrs, the fire has tapered down.

    “It is important to note that prior to this fire incident, all facilities were shut-in due to NCTL outage about 17.00hrs on 28/02/19. We are continuing with investigations and further information will be communicated.”

    According to a source at the company that pleaded anonymity, “The comments of Mr. Francis Umeh, Head of NOSDRA’s Field Office in Bayelsa State are false. How can Aiteo deny access to a government agency on an asset that is primarily owned by the government? It is inappropriate for the agency to assert that we are resisting investigations when we informed the commission about the incident the day it occurred and have not precluded them from gaining access to the site. The incidence report was submitted to NOSDRA and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and as soon as we got a clear sense of how things played out.”

    NOSDRA had accused Aiteo of frustrating efforts to investigate the incident. Umeh told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa capital, that the stance of the oil firm was slowing NOSDRA from promptly carrying out its mandate.

    The NOSDRA field office boss also said Aiteo did not report the incidence within 24 hours of occurrence as stipulated by law. “The incident occurred on Friday and it took them some time to report it officially to NOSDRA; we have plans to visit the site, but the operator is resisting and frustrating our efforts,” Umeh said.

    NOSDRA’s assertions seem inconsistent with available evidence and definitely suggest either a communication gap within the organisation or an unexplainable fabrication.