QHSES Leadership Academy
THE OGONILAND
TRAGEDY:
Lessons for HSE Governance in Nigeria’s Energy Sector
ECO CHAMPIONS
Group 23
End of Session Project
July 2025
ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
ABSTRACT
❑ This case study explores the tragic
environmental degradation of Ogoni
Land due to over five - decades of oil
exploration.
❑ Draws on the UNEP Environmental
Assessment of Ogoniland (2011) to
highlight systemic HSE governance
failures.
❑ Analyses the root causes using
internationally recognized ISO
standards and risk management
models.
❑ Emphasizes the urgent need for
environmental justice and corporate
accountability.
❑ Proposes actionable policy
recommendations to prevent future
environmental tragedies.
(Al Jazeera English, 2023)
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
CONTENTS
Background UNEP Report Governance Local Community Global Recommendations References
and Context Summary Failure Role Comparisons & ISO Frameworks
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Problem Definition Environmental & Root Cause Corporate
Health Impacts Analysis Accountability HSE Lessons Call to Action
& Implications
01 Background | Context
A Land Rich in Resources but Vulnerable
1. Ogoni Land is a region in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, rich in oil
and biodiversity.
2. Oil exploration began in the 1950s, with Shell (SPDC) as
the principal operator.
Decades of Devastation
3. From 1970 to 2000, over 2,500 oil spills were recorded,
contaminating 4,000 km² of land (UNEP, 2011).
4. Decades of neglect, poor infrastructure, and inadequate
response measures led to a humanitarian and ecological
Ogoni Land faced major risks from crisis.
over 2,500 oil spills (1970–2000) due 5. Significant loss of mangroves and fisheries impacting
to poor infrastructure and weak traditional livelihoods.
oversight, endangering health and
livelihoods. This crisis led Ken Saro-Wi
wa to demand accountability Resistance, Injustice, and Unresolved Accountability
before oil production stopped in 1993
6. Notable activist Ken Saro-Wiwa led the movement for
justice.
7. Oil production ceased in 1993 due to growing unrest and
environmental activism.
8. Nigerian government failed to enforce corporate
compliance during decades of operations.
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
02 Problem Definition | Implications
Environmental Collapse and Livelihood Disruption Human Suffering and Health Crisis
1. Displacement of approximately 300,000 people due 4. 90% of the local population depends on polluted
to contaminated environments (HRW, 2013) water sources (UNEP, 2011).
2. Destruction of ecosystems led to severe erosion 5. Elevated benzene levels present long-term cancer
and increased vulnerability to flooding. risks.
3. Oil pollution in Ogoni has severely impacted 6. 40% increase in respiratory illnesses and skin
biodiversity and livelihoods. diseases (Health Impact Assessment, 2015).
7. Social unrest fueled by prolonged exposure and
lack of remediation.
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
03 The UNEP Report | Key Findings
1. 49 sites showed hydrocarbon contamination at depths
greater than 5m, impacting subsurface aquifers (UNEP, 2011).
2. Benzene levels in Nisisioken Ogale groundwater were over
900 times WHO guidelines (UNEP, 2011).
3. SPDC’s remediation methods (RENA) failed; 10 of 15 sites still
exceeded contamination thresholds.
4. Soil and groundwater at most locations exceeded
Environmental Guidelines and Standards for the Petroleum
Industry In Nigeria (EGASPIN) permissible levels (UNEP, 2011).
5. Poor decommissioning of pipelines and waste
mismanagement observed (UNEP, 2011).
6. Regulatory institutions (NOSDRA, DPR) lacked resources and
independence to enforce remediation.
7. Artisanal refining added new pollutants and destroyed
mangrove habitats (Pegg & Zabbey, 2013).
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
04 Health and Environmental Impacts
Benzene Causes Cancer Farmland Infertile, Hunger Rises
Long-term benzene exposure
1 5 Agricultural land rendered infertile, leading
linked to leukemia and other cancers to food insecurity and malnutrition.
(UNEP, 2011; Aguilera et al., 2010).
Child Stunting, Reproductive Issues
Water Contamination
Spreads Disease
2 6 Cases of child stunting and reproductive
disorders observed in medical reports
Surface and groundwater
contamination led to high rates (Ana et al., 2009).
of diarrheal diseases.
Mangroves Lost, Ecosystems Harmed
3 7 Distrust In Authorities
Mangrove loss disrupted fish breeding
and coastal protection systems High levels of distrust toward government
(UNEP, 2011). and oil companies due to lack of
transparency.
Health Systems Overwhelmed 4
Public health infrastructure unable to
address rising health burdens.
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
05 Governance Failure
Inconsistent Remediation Criteria
1. Inconsistencies in Environmental Guidelines and
Standards for the Petroleum Industry In Nigeria
(EGASPIN) criteria enabled premature site closures
(UNEP, 2011).
Community Exclusion Risks Weak Government Oversight and
7. Communities were excluded from
Corruption
governance frameworks and risk 2. Lack of transparency, politics, vested interests and
assessments. corruption led to regulatory failure, as there was
limited accountability for the environmental damage
done by the oil company.
Weak HSE Enforcement
6.Weak enforcement mechanisms Unchecked Corporate Self-regulation
led to systemic neglect of HSE 3. Corporate self-regulation enabled non-
obligations. compliance and underreporting.
No Independent Oversight Conflicting Agency Mandates
5. No independent oversight or third-party 4.Overlapping mandates between National Oil Spill Detection
validation of remediation (Ite et al., 2013) and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Department of Petroleum
Resources (DPR), and Ministry of Environment created
confusion.
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
06 Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
5 Whys Technique Fishbone Diagram (Ishikawa) categorizes causes under:
People (Manpower)
Problem: Spilled oil was not remediated for years.
Poor Training Low Awareness Of HSE
Why ? → SPDC did not respond adequately.
1 They delayed clean-up and ignored long-standing spills.
Methods (Processes)
2 Why ? → Their HSE management was ineffective. Ineffective Spill Detection Delayed Emergency Responses
Poor safety practices and weak internal oversight.
Why ? → There were no enforceable regulations Materials
3 mandating prompt remediation. Improper Chemical And Waste
Poor Oil Spill Clean-up Techniques
Laws existed but weren’t enforced. Management
Why ? → Nigerian regulators lacked autonomy and
4 enforcement power.
Equipment (Technology)
Agencies were weak and politically influenced.
Outdated Pipelines And Infrastructure Inadequate Decommissioning Methods
Why ? → The political economy of oil prioritized revenue
5 over sustainability. ROOT
Government favoured oil profits over environmental protection. CAUSE Environment
Community Distrust And Resistance Due To
Politically Volatile Region Exclusion From Decision-making
Management
This align with ISO 31000 Risk Management Principles Weak Monitoring By Regulatory Bodies
Lack Of Accountability Culture
to improve decision-making and prevention (NOSDRA, DPR)
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
07 Local Community Role
Community Role Denied
Community Knowledge Overlooked Community Voice Suppressed
Communities experienced systemic
Traditional knowledge was ignored in Community resistance suppressed
exclusion from remediation decision
environmental planning. through military intervention.
s (UNEP, 2011).
Local Participation Demanded
Consent Rights Ignored
Women’s Needs Neglected Movement for the Survival of the
Transparency and consent
Women suffered from water-borne Ogoni People (MOSOP) demanded
processes i.e Free, Prior and Informed
illnesses, loss of income. local participation, environmental
Consent (FPIC) not upheld.
remediation, and fair economic
share (Boele et al., 2001).
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
08 Corporate Accountability
CSR Ineffectiveness
4 Voluntary CSR initiatives failed to yield
Remediation Failure measurable improvements.
SPDC remediation failed 1
ISO 14001 Clause 9.1.1 Data Inaccessibility
(performance evaluation). 5
Lack of publicly accessible
environmental performance data
False Reporting
Company misreported 2
remediation success; Neglected Infrastructure
data lacked third-party
6 Infrastructure neglect increased
validation (UNEP, 2011). frequency of spills.
No Compensation
No compensation or restitution 3 No Support for Community
to affected communities 7 No investment in community resilience
(Amnesty International, 2015). or recovery post-remediation.
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
09 Global Comparisons | Best Practices
Norway Canada Ecuador Peru
Mandated real-time Offshore oil operations
Court-ordered remediation Use of citizen monitoring
monitoring and public integrate ISO 45001
and community compensation platforms in Peru improved
disclosure aligned with regulatory
set global precedent. HSE transparency.
with ISO 14001. compliance.
• Nigeria lacks an environmental damage valuation system.
• Best practices include environmental courts, ombudsman
systems, and participatory audits.
• Adoption of digital reporting dashboards will enhance
corporate compliance.
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
10 Lessons for HSE Governance | Recommendations Based on ISO Standards
Enforce ISO Standards Reform Institutions Third-Party HSE Audits
• ISO 14001:2015 Clause 6.1.2: Environmental • Institutional reform of NOSDRA and the •Mandate third-party HSE audits
impact risk assessments for all operations. Environment Ministry is vital to clarify for all oil operations with public
• ISO 45001:2018 Clauses 5.4 and 8.1.3: Stake mandates, eliminate overlaps, and disclosure to boost transparency
holder engagement and change improve environmental governance in and accountability.
management. oil-producing regions.
ESG in Licensing Strengthen Regulators Tougher Penalties
• Integrate Environmental, Social, and • Enhance oversight bodies' technical capacity • Align environmental penalties with
Governance (ESG) compliance a core and independence to ensure strong, damage severity to deter violations and
requirement for oil licenses, aligning unbiased environmental enforcement. uphold environmental justice.
with global sustainability standards.
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
11 Mock Policy Brief | Toward Sustainable HSE Governance
Strengthening HSE Governance in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Sector: A Policy Roadmap from the Ogoniland Experience
Background
The UNEP report on Ogoniland reveals systemic regulatory, corporate, and community engagement failures. The findings demand robust
reforms to prevent future environmental catastrophes.
Policy Objectives Recommended Policy Actions
1. Strengthen Environmental Oversight
2. Enforce Corporate Accountability Policy Area Recommendation
3. Empower Communities in Decision-Making Empower the Regulatory Commission, Agency and Authority
4. Mandate Transparent Clean-up and Restoration Plans Regulatory Reform (i.e NOSDRA, NUPRC and NMDPRA) with prosecutorial power and
budgetary autonomy. Create a national HSE Performance Index.
Implementation Roadmap
• Phase 1 (Year 1–2): Legal review and regulatory Technology & Mandate real-time spill detection systems, pipeline integrity tools,
capacity building.
• Phase 2 (Year 3–5): Rollout of infrastructure Standards and international best practices for remediation.
upgrades and real-time spill response systems.
• Phase 3 (Year 6+): Independent audits, enforcem
Community Institutionalize Environmental Impact Forums and fund
ent, and continuous improvement. Involvement Community-led Monitoring (CLM).
Expected Outcomes Corporate Create a Polluter Pays Tribunal and mandate insurance-backed
• Reduction in oil spills and quicker remediation
timelines. Accountability escrow accounts for environmental liability.
• Improved community trust and livelihood
restoration. Enforce compliance with the Extractive Industries Transparency
• Legal deterrents against corporate negligence.
Transparency
Initiative (EITI) and adopt open data portals for HSE metrics.
• Enhanced global reputation of Nigeria’s energy
sector.
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS! Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
12 Call to Action
Now is the time for bold leadership and unwavering “If not us, then who? If not now,
commitment. Let Ogoni rise as a beacon of hope; where then when?”
clean water flows, ecosystems thrive, and justice prevails. ~ Greta Thunberg, Climate Activist
We call on the government, oil companies, civil society,
and the international community to take immediate,
coordinated action: fund the clean-up, enforce
accountability, embrace community-led solutions, and
invest in a greener future. The world is watching; let Ogoni
become the model that inspires global environmental
transformation.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, Group 23
we borrow it from our children.” Powering Change,
~ Native American Proverb Protecting Tomorrow!
13 References
1. UNEP. (2011). Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland. Nairobi: United Nations Environment Programme.
2. Ana, R. E. E., Sridhar, M. K. C., & Emerole, G. O. (2009). African Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry, 3(3), 31-41.
3. Aguilera, F., Méndez, J., Pásaro, E., & Laffon, B. (2010). Journal of Applied Toxicology, 30(4), 291-301.
4. Ite, A. E., Ibok, U. J., Ite, M. U., & Petters, S. W. (2013). American Journal of Environmental Protection, 1(4), 78-90.
5. Pegg, S., & Zabbey, N. (2013). African Affairs, 112(447), 391-412.
6. Amnesty International. (2015). Negligence in the Niger Delta.
7. Human Rights Watch. (2013). The Price of Oil.
8. ISO. (2015). ISO 14001: Environmental Management Systems – Requirements with Guidance for Use.
9. ISO. (2018). ISO 45001: Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems – Requirements with Guidance for Use.
10. Health Impact Assessment. (2015). Ogoniland Health Risk Report.
11. Shell Sustainability Reports (2005–2020).
12. NOSDRA Annual Reports (2012–2022).
13. Boele, R., Fabig, H., & Wheeler, D. (2001). Sustainable Development, 9(2), 74-86.
14. Al Jazeera English. (2023, April 9). Nigeria: Fears of lasting environmental damage from Ogoni oil [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MYa_hmY_Dw
Group 23 – ECO CHAMPIONS!
Powering Change, Protecting Tomorrow!
S/N Full Name Position
1 ADEBISI, Mustapha Babade Member
2 ADEYEMO, Esther Opeyemi Member
3 AKINNUBI, Olakunle Samuel Member
4 ASAMOAH, Emmanuel Member
5 COLLINS, Awak Ibenge Member
6 EMUMEJAKPOR, David Tuwere Member
7 IBRAHIM, Abdulkabir Member
8 JOSEPH, Miracle Emmanuel Group Leader
9 MUSA, Amina Gwiokura Member
10 OGBEKE , Harrison Okwonokwo Member
11 OKON, Victor Eyo Member
12 OLUWAFEMI, Alaba Raphael Member
13 OTEGBEYE, Toluwalope Ayomide Member
14 SULAIMON, Taiwo Member
15 YEEZOR, Deborah Zoryiibe Member
16 FOLORUNSHO, Damilola A. Member
