By Abbas Nazil
Ondo State in southwestern Nigeria is witnessing widespread surface-level bitumen seepage, highlighting both the enormous economic potential of its hydrocarbon reserves and the environmental and social challenges associated with their exploitation.
Natural bitumen, a dense and semi-solid form of petroleum, occurs abundantly in Ondo, Ogun, Lagos, and Edo states, with Ondo alone hosting the world’s second-largest deposit, estimated at 42.47 billion metric tons in situ and valued at roughly US$17 trillion.
Despite this immense resource, local communities experience persistent socioeconomic marginalisation and environmental degradation, with little benefit from the exploration and mining of bitumen.
Seepages are particularly notable in the southern part of Ondo State, including communities such as Ode-Irele, Agbabu, Ludasa, and Idioilayo, where hydrocarbon migration through fractures and sandy strata has led to soil contamination, reduced fertility, and impaired agricultural productivity.
Research indicates that heavy metals including lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, and arsenic exceed national safety thresholds in both soils and water sources in affected areas.
Lead concentrations at exploration sites, for instance, reach 290 mg/kg, posing severe risks to human health and food chain contamination.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and total petroleum hydrocarbons detected in soil and water further underscore the genotoxic and carcinogenic potential of bitumen-related contamination.
Hydrological consequences include the formation of bitumen films on streams after rainfall, reducing oxygen exchange, suppressing aquatic life, and compromising water self-purification.
Socioeconomic studies show that residents of affected communities largely survive on incomes of approximately US$0.67 per day, representing just 31% of the World Bank extreme poverty threshold, reflecting a classic “resource curse” scenario.
Elevated bulk density and reduced soil hydraulic conductivity hinder crop growth, while heavy metal accumulation in plants creates dietary exposure pathways for local populations.
Regulatory inadequacies compound these issues, with structural gaps in the Environmental Impact Assessment Act and NESREA Act allowing exploration without mandatory baseline studies, community consultation, or enforceable remediation obligations.
Currently, BCE Greensands Nigeria Limited is the only active mining company, and despite decades of exploration, no sustainable economic benefits have reached local residents.
The combination of uncontrolled bitumen seepage, environmental contamination, and persistent poverty underscores urgent need for evidence-based interventions to protect both ecosystems and community livelihoods in Ondo State.
Without comprehensive regulatory reform and inclusive resource management, the region faces a multidimensional crisis of environmental injustice and socioeconomic marginalisation.