About the project and its impacts
The Niger Delta stands as one of the most polluted regions in the world due to decades of environmental destruction caused by oil companies. Among the most prominent culprits are Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), its U.K.-based parent company Shell plc, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), TotalEnergies of France, and the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (a subsidiary of Italy’s ENI). These corporations have devastated the livelihoods of communities like Odimodi, home to approximately 5,000 residents, by spilling crude oil, discharging toxic effluents, and gas flaring.
An oil spill in August 2022 in Odimodi exemplifies the ongoing environmental crisis which, in a decades-long pattern, led to significant habitat destruction and the loss of fishing and farming — the lifeblood of the community. The waterways remain heavily contaminated, forcing fishers to travel farther out to sea for diminishing catches, often at great personal risk.
“The fish we eat right now smell of crude in their intestines, smell of crude in their gills. And most times, we eat them because we have no option.” (local community member)
Women bear the brunt of this ecological disaster as they face heightened poverty and are systematically excluded from decision-making processes to address the crisis.
The impacts of these spills extend far beyond immediate economic losses. Odimodi residents lack access to clean water, and their farmlands have become infertile, plunging the community into deeper poverty. Health outcomes have deteriorated due to prolonged exposure to polluted environments. In one account, a community member says, “There are a lot of cases of asthma because of inhalation of the crude. There are a lot of skin diseases, a lot of miscarriages. This is documented evidence that you can find in the community health center.”
Meanwhile, Shell and its Nigerian subsidiary, which have operated in the region since the 1950s, are attempting to offload their onshore oil assets without adequately addressing the catastrophic environmental damage they caused. This is a recurring strategy to escape accountability while leaving behind rusting pipelines, leaky infrastructure and toxic landscapes.
Additionally, oil companies routinely deploy “divide and rule” tactics, using financial inducements to weaken community solidarity and obstruct meaningful action.
Odimodi’s plight exemplifies the deep inequalities and systemic failures perpetuated by transnational oil corporations and weak regulatory frameworks. As an activist from CODAF says, “Governments who are supposed to be regulators to regulate the activities of these oil industries [turn] blind eyes and deaf ears to the situation … the oil industry pays the bills of the regulators.” In this way, vulnerable communities are left to bear the devastating costs.
About the community-led struggle
Grassroots organizations such as our CRE collaborator Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF) and Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) are actively supporting communities in Odimodi by providing legal counsel and amplifying their voices in calls for justice. While the Nigerian Supreme Court recently permitted Shell to proceed with its asset sale, advocates demand the company fully remediate the land and waterways and compensate affected residents before exiting.
CODAF has engaged the community through a variety of activities (e.g. workshops, campaigns, and local initiatives) and has supported
them in their advocacy and legal strategies to demand justice. CODAF has especially worked to amplify the voices of Indigenous Peoples and fisherfolk, with a strong emphasis on elevating women’s perspectives to highlight the multiple, intersecting challenges they face. CODAF has also provided legal counsel and support to the Odimodi community in their fight for justice.
As a result of CODAF’s engagement:
● The community’s concerns and their demands have reached a wider audience, drawing attention to the environmental injustices they face.
● There is stronger awareness of the environmental crisis, and communities have been empowered to demand accountability from both oil companies and the government.
● Companies like Shell have taken notice of these advocacy efforts, although the community still consider their response inadequate.
● CODAF has documented how environmental degradation disproportionately affects women and has advocated for their inclusion in decision-making processes.
● Women in Odimodi are now actively speaking out and demanding urgent intervention to ensure proper clean-up of affected areas, compensation for damages, replacement of lost fishing materials, and the establishment of permanent healthcare facilities. They also advocate for financial support for adult education and economic empowerment.
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