The Niger Delta, one of Africa’s most ecologically diverse and oil-rich regions, has experienced decades of environmental degradation due to intensive oil exploration, frequent spills, and persistent gas flaring. This study provides a multidimensional assessment of the ecological, socioeconomic, and institutional impacts of petroleum-related pollution in the region. Adopting a qualitative mixed-method review design, the research integrates data from Nigeria’s National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), court rulings, legal instruments, including the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021, and peer-reviewed studies in the literature published between 2010 and 2024. Oil spill data from 2021 to 2024 were thematically and comparatively analyzed across six oil-producing states, with Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta emerging as the most affected. Findings reveal widespread soil, water, and air contamination, biodiversity loss, and adverse health outcomes driven by regulatory lapses and poor enforcement. Traditional livelihoods have collapsed, gender-based vulnerabilities have intensified, and community displacement has become more frequent. Although mechanisms such as the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialization Programme and Host Community Development Trusts exist, their implementation is weakened by institutional capture, bureaucratic inefficiency, and limited community involvement. Anchored in the frameworks of ecological injustice and institutional capture, the study recommends reforms including institutional restructuring, integrated environmental monitoring, inclusive remediation planning, and climate-resilient development pathways. These interventions are essential for redressing historical injustices and promoting sustainable environmental governance in the Niger Delta.
Omokaro et al. (Fri,) studied this question.