Known as the ‘Home of Solid Mineral,’ Nasarawa State is located in north central Nigeria. With this trend of oil exploitation communities gaining short-term socioeconomic and infrastructural benefits, such as jobs, revenue, and other social amenities, while suffering from long-term environmental and health issues, history is likely to repeat itself with the commencement of fresh oil exploitation in Nasarawa State’s Obi LGA.
Since the discovery of crude oil in Bayelsa State in Nigeria in the late 1950s, oil exploration has been inspired in many other locations across the Niger Delta region. The oil sector has received more attention than any other sector over the last 65 years. This can be attributed to the enormous economic prospects of oil from which the country has benefited greatly.
Despite excessive crude oil theft along the value chain, the oil and gas sector accounts for roughly 80% of Nigeria’s total national revenue, according to many studies. With such a reliance on oil as its main export earnings, as well as the discovery of new oil wells in other parts of the country, many question whether Nigeria is truly ready to embrace the global trend of clean energy transition.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) announced the discovery of crude oil in Nasarawa State earlier this year, with the first drilling taking place in March 2023, according to the corporation. The announcement sparked excitement among some indigenous people, who believes that the discovery of oil in the state will help to create enormous socioeconomic opportunities while also elevating Nasarawa State’s dignity to become a top national asset. In another light, the news has caused dismay and deep fear in the minds of many others, who sees the new development as the beginning of a devastating environmental pollution and social chaos in the state, which will most likely affect the health, livelihoods and way of life of the residents.
Pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region has remained a stumbling block for the Nigerian government’s maximum utilization of crude oil products. In an interview with The Punch, Mr. Mele Kyari, the CEO of NNPCL, said that approximately 295 illegal connections was discovered around the oil pipelines, resulting in the shutdown of productions in 2022. He went on to say that oil theft has been affecting daily oil production capacity across the country. Despite the difficulties, Nigeria has continued to benefit greatly from oil and gas revenues.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo established the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in the year 2000 to address the developmental needs of the oil-rich Niger Delta region while also addressing the challenges of pollution caused by oil exploitation activities. Also, in 2009, late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua offered cash and scholarship opportunities to Niger Delta Militants in exchange for a ceasefire, in order to put an end to the troubling pipeline vandalism and illegal mining operations carried out by young people in the region.
Given the current state of the Niger Delta region, it is certain that the monetary and socioeconomic benefits of hosting these oil exploitation companies are insignificant compared to the irreversible and highly destructive impacts they have had on the environment and health of the inhabitants of these communities. Air pollution from soot emissions caused by incomplete combustion during the refining of petroleum products has exposed more people to serious health risks. According to research, the PM2.5 concentration caused by soot in Port Harcourt is four times the WHO annual air quality guideline value. Other pollution issues affecting the Niger delta region include severe water and land pollution, exposing many to poverty after losing their farmlands, and others to serious health issues such as miscarriages and cancer.
With this trend of oil exploitation communities gaining short-term socioeconomic and infrastructural benefits, such as jobs, revenue, and other social amenities, while suffering from long-term environmental and health issues, history is likely to repeat itself with the commencement of fresh oil exploitation in Nasarawa State’s Obi Local Government Area. Aside from the most likely environmental and health challenges that residents of the host and nearby communities may face, the effects of oil and gas on climate change remains a significant issue to address.
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The Paris Agreement aims to keep global average temperatures well below 2°C, preferably 1.5°C. Despite this, reports indicate that global temperatures may reach 2.8°C by the end of the century. It further states that the current conditional and unconditional pledges made by countries under the Paris agreement will only result in a 2.4-2.6°C temperature rise by the end of the century. To avoid global catastrophes, the world must reduce emissions by 45 percent by 2022, according to the 2022 emission gap report.
This reflects the urgency of countries that have signed the Paris agreement to reduce their emissions in order to mitigate climate change and its consequences. Since signing the Paris Agreement in 2011, Nigeria has made concerted efforts and commitments to reduce its emissions through the development of supporting policies and documents, including the intended and revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The Federal Government of Nigeria launched the Energy Transition Plan (ETP) in 2022, as a follow-up to His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement at the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, to ensure that Nigeria achieves net zero emissions by 2060.
Despite the Federal Government of Nigeria’s efforts to achieve its net zero target, as evidenced by existing policies and commitments, its ongoing actions to expand oil and gas territories across other parts of the country remains a dilemma. Perhaps Nigeria isn’t yet ready to give up its huge earnings from oil and gas exports and diversify to other cleaner and sustainable economic ventures to generate revenue. If this is the case, achieving net zero emissions by 2060 may just be a wild speculation.
Concerned indigenous peoples have raised serious concerns about the environmental consequences of the upcoming oil drilling activities in the state. Nasarawa State Governor, H.E Abdullahi Sule, quickly responded to these concerns, stating that the state’s oil production scenario was not identical to that of the Niger Delta region. He stated that, in contrast to the situation in the Niger Delta, where crude oil is drilled and transported through pipelines to refineries located hundreds of miles away, allowing pipeline vandalism resulting in environmental pollution, in the case of Nasarawa State, he noted that the entire oil drilling and refining process will take place at a single central location, reducing environmental pollution caused by crude oil transportation from point of exploitation to point of refining.
It is possible that the situation may vary, but it is impossible to say that all pollution and emissions caused by oil exploitation activities in Nasarawa State can be eliminated. Obviously, the government intends to reap the benefits of owning a crude oil resource. While significant efforts are currently being made to maximize crude oil harvesting, it is even more important to prioritize sustainability actions that can guarantee the good health of host community members and the environment.
To foster a sustainable environment for Nasarawa State in the face of potential oil pollution, both the state and federal governments must put in place the necessary mechanisms needed to ensure consistent sustainability practices within oil exploitation sites and refineries. Aside from mandating oil refineries to obtain updated Environmental Impact Assessments, a multi-stakeholder oil pollution prevention committee should be established to assess and review the operational and sustainability strategies of the oil refineries on a regular basis. This committee must include officers from relevant MDAs, Civil Society Organizations, and Community Heads, among others.
Because the world is rapidly transitioning from fossil fuel to clean energy, the value of crude oil is likely to fall in a few years. As a result, as much as we may be excited to own an oil asset in Nasarawa State, it is necessary to invest in clean energy from oil earnings. This worthwhile investment will not only pave the way for a clean energy transition, but it will also sustain revenue generation for the state at a time when crude oil finally meets its doom.
With proper sustainability measures in place, coupled with a promising Energy Transition Plan that creates a clear road map for Nasarawa State on clean energy development from crude oil earnings, it is possible for the future of our dear environment to remain sustainable and healthy amid a crude oil hunt.
Cover Image: Presidential Flag-off of the Spud-In Ceremony of Ebenyi-A Exploration Well, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Photo: Twitter | NNPCL
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