As the world commemorates World Environment Day 2026, environmental advocacy groups have renewed calls for an immediate end to routine gas flaring in the Niger Delta, citing its devastating health, environmental and socio-economic consequences on host communities.

The Executive Director of We the People, Ken Henshaw, made the call in Port Harcourt on Friday during a documentary screening and community dialogue organised to mark the day.

According to Henshaw, communities across the Niger Delta have lived for decades under the constant impact of gas flare stacks located near homes, schools, farms, rivers and fishing settlements.

He noted that the continuous flaring of gas releases methane, carbon dioxide, particulate matter and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, exposing residents to serious health and environmental risks.

“Many residents have spent their entire lives under the glow of flare stacks that burn day and night,” he said.

Henshaw lamented that despite being one of the world’s most resource-rich regions, the Niger Delta continues to bear the environmental and social costs of oil and gas extraction, while many host communities grapple with environmental degradation, poor health outcomes, declining livelihoods and inadequate public services.

He described gas flaring as one of the most visible symbols of environmental injustice in the region.

According to him, communities have consistently reported respiratory illnesses, skin diseases, eye problems, declining agricultural productivity, acid rain, contaminated water sources and widespread destruction of local ecosystems.

“Farmers speak of reduced crop yields, while fisherfolk report declining fish stocks and polluted waterways. Entire generations have grown up under the noise and heat of gas flares that never cease,” he added.

Beyond its local impacts, Henshaw said gas flaring contributes significantly to global climate change through the release of greenhouse gases, particularly methane, which is regarded as one of the most potent climate-warming gases.

He expressed concern over the recent divestment of onshore assets by multinational oil companies, noting that affected communities fear that ownership changes may not address the legacy of environmental pollution and unresolved remediation obligations.

He also warned that reports of continued gas flaring in several locations suggest that environmental burdens are merely being transferred rather than eliminated.

Speaking on the theme, “Flaring Lives: The Human Cost of Gas Flaring and Methane Emissions in the Niger Delta,” Henshaw called for meaningful community participation through the principle of free, prior and informed consent in environmental and natural resource governance.

He demanded an immediate end to routine gas flaring by all operators in the Niger Delta without further delays or regulatory exemptions, full environmental and health remediation of affected communities funded by responsible operators, and transparent, publicly accessible gas-flaring data disaggregated by operator, location and volume.

He further called for accountability for any post-divestment increase in gas flaring, backed by effective monitoring mechanisms and enforceable sanctions for non-compliance.

“On this World Environment Day, We the People stands in solidarity with communities across the Niger Delta and environmental justice movements around the world demanding cleaner air, healthier environments, accountable governance and a future where natural resources benefit people rather than harm them,” he said.

“The time for excuses has passed. The time for accountability, remediation and environmental justice is now.”

Similarly, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) said this year’s theme serves as a reminder that nature provides practical solutions to climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.
Executive Director of YEAC-Nigeria, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, said ecosystems such as the Niger Delta’s mangrove forests play critical roles in carbon storage and coastal protection, while renewable energy sources offer sustainable pathways to a cleaner future.

He urged the Federal Government, oil companies and international development partners to accelerate the cleanup of polluted sites across the Niger Delta and bring an end to gas flaring.

Fyneface also called for increased investment in community-led renewable energy projects and green jobs targeted at youths and women as part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability and economic inclusion.