By Obiabin Onukwugha
A civil society organization, the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), has warned that Nigeria’s environment is in a critical condition, blaming unchecked human activities for widespread pollution, deforestation, biodiversity loss, flooding and other forms of ecological destruction across the country.
This is contained in a new report by EDEN titled “State of the Nigerian Environment”, which documents environmental challenges confronting communities across Nigeria.
Speaking during the public presentation of the report at a hybrid session held in Benin Edo State capital on Friday, EDEN Executive Director, Barr Chima Williams, said the publication was not simply about documenting environmental problems but about drawing attention to the urgent need for action.
“The State of the Nigerian Environment Report is not intended to merely present data and update on the perilous state of the Nigerian environment,” Williams said.
He stressed that the report was also intended to increase public awareness of how environmental destruction affects ordinary Nigerians and to strengthen the call for stakeholders to work together to protect the environment.
According to him, Nigeria is richly endowed with arable land, mineral resources, forests, wildlife and extensive water resources, but these natural assets are being steadily degraded by human activities.
Williams said the report also serves as a tribute to environmental and human rights advocates who dedicated their lives to demanding greater respect for people and the environment.
He revealed that the report is dedicated to the late Oronto Nantei Douglas, an environmental human rights lawyer and former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan; late Professor Festus Iyayi, former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and lecturer at the University of Benin; and late environmental activist, Comrade Jonathan Ihonde.
EDEN in the report stated that Nigeria’s environmental problems range from oil pollution in the Niger Delta to mining-induced degradation in other parts of the country, as well as deforestation, plastic pollution, flooding, coastal erosion, desertification and gully erosion.
The organisation described the crisis in the Nigerian environment as predominantly man-made, stressing that human action could also reverse the damage.
“From the north to the south and from the east to the west, the environment in Nigeria can best be described as one that is sick and needs urgent attention,” the report stated.
The Niger Delta featured prominently in the report, with EDEN raising concerns over the continuing impact of oil spills, gas flaring and other forms of pollution on oil-producing communities.
The organisation cited data from the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), which recorded 18,149 oil spill incidents between 2006 and 2024.
EDEN said the spills had caused extensive damage to farmlands, rivers and livelihoods, while also contributing to conflicts within some oil-producing communities.
The report also referenced the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission, which documented extensive environmental and human impacts associated with oil pollution and proposed $12 billion for clean-up activities.
In Ogoniland, Rivers State, EDEN cited the 2011 United Nations Environment Programme assessment, which found widespread contamination and reported benzene levels in groundwater at up to 900 times the World Health Organisation guideline.
The group warned that such contamination poses serious risks to communities dependent on polluted water sources.
It said environmental degradation was also spreading through Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, where poorly regulated artisanal mining activities are destroying land and ecosystems.
EDEN also identified flooding as a major environmental challenge, noting that recurrent floods have destroyed farmlands, displaced communities and disrupted economic activities across Nigeria.
The report further blamed unsustainable consumption and waste-disposal practices for worsening plastic pollution, particularly in the nation’s waterways. Deforestation was also identified as a major concern, driven by agricultural practices, logging, poaching, firewood harvesting and development activities.
The report, therefore called on the Federal Government to strengthen environmental regulatory agencies, particularly NOSDRA and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
The organisation demanded that oil-spill clean-ups should meet internationally accepted standards and that affected communities should receive appropriate compensation.
It also called for meaningful dialogue between extractive companies, government and host communities to address longstanding grievances.
On the divestment by international oil companies from the Nigerian oil industry, EDEN urged the government to ensure that companies selling their assets meet all outstanding obligations to affected communities before transferring ownership. The group also called for a review of the divestment process to include host communities, civil society organisations, government agencies and both outgoing and incoming oil companies.
EDEN further advocated greater investment in decentralised renewable energy and indigenous energy companies as part of efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Highlight of the event was the EDEN inauguration of the EDEN Heroes of the Environment Award, to recognise individuals who have made significant contributions to environmental education, advocacy and sustainability in Nigeria.
Representatives of the families of the late Oronto Douglas and Jonathan Ihonde received awards on their behalf.
The event, moderated by EDEN Board Member, Philip Jakpor, attracted academics, lawyers, civil society leaders, environmental advocates and climate-change experts from Nigeria and abroad.
EDEN emphasised that the report should serve not only as a record of Nigeria’s environmental decline, but also as a call for government, businesses, communities and citizens to act before the damage becomes irreversible.
