In 2024, Nigeria documented at least 589 oil spills, according to data from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency’s (NOSDRA) Oil Spill Monitor. These incidents were reported by oil exploration companies and residents in host communities.
The figure represents a significant reduction of 49.3% compared to 2023, which recorded 1,162 spills. However, the volume of crude spilled remained consistent, with approximately 19,000 barrels (3 million litres or equivalent to 95 oil tanker trucks) lost in 2024, compared to 18,747 barrels in the previous year.
Of the 589 spills recorded, one spill was classified as “major,” involving over 250 barrels spilled into inland waters or more than 2,500 barrels on land, swamp, or shoreline. In contrast, three major spills were recorded in 2023.
Ten spills were categorised as “medium,” involving 25–250 barrels spilled into inland waters or 250–2,500 barrels on land.
/ AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI
285 spills were classified as “minor,” with less than 25 barrels spilled into inland waters or up to 250 barrels on land. This marked a decrease from 520 minor spills in 2023, with 229 of these being under 10 barrels in size.
Notably, 281 spills remained uncategorised in 2024, a decrease from 608 in 2023. In 261 instances, no estimated oil quantity was provided by the responsible company, and Joint Investigation Teams did not visit 45 spill sites.
The report identified the following companies as having the most spills: Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) with 185 spills; Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) with 169 spills; NNPC E&P Limited (NEPL) with 41 spills; Heirs Energies Limited with 40 spills; Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited had 27 spills; Heritage Oil had 25 spills; SEPLAT with 24 spills; OANDO with 21 spills; and Chevron with 12 spills
The spills were attributed to two primary causes: sabotage and oil theft, accounting for 471 spills and operational challenges responsible for 100 spills.
The first half of 2024 saw a high rate of sabotage and oil theft, with an average of 53.6 spills per month. This dropped to 24.8 spills monthly in the second half of the year, suggesting fewer incidents of theft and pipeline vandalism.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has intensified efforts to combat oil theft and sabotage in the Niger Delta. In collaboration with security agencies and private security firms, the company uncovered over 3,000 illegal refineries in 2024.
NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, described the achievement as remarkable and emphasized the company’s dedication to protecting oil production and energy security. He added that offenders are being apprehended and prosecuted, and the campaign against oil theft remains a top priority.
Oil spills have devastated the Niger Delta for decades, leading to pollution of farmlands, rivers, and fishing streams. Host communities, whose livelihoods depend on these resources, often seek compensation through legal action against oil companies, who in turn attribute the spills to sabotage.
The Nigerian government established the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in 2012 to address oil spill clean-ups, particularly in Ogoniland. However, progress has been slow, leaving affected communities in dire conditions.
