The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has described the ongoing restoration of Ogoniland as a results-driven climate action initiative, saying the project is not only reversing decades of environmental damage, but also contributing to the global fight against climate change.

Marking the 2026 World Environment Day, HYPREP said its large-scale mangrove restoration programme is reviving what was once regarded as the world’s largest oil-degraded mangrove ecosystem, while creating jobs, restoring biodiversity and generating future carbon-credit opportunities for local communities.

The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, said the agency’s environmental restoration efforts align with the global theme of this year’s celebration: ‘Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future.’

According to him, millions of native mangroves are being planted across polluted shorelines in Ogoniland, helping to absorb carbon emissions, restore fish breeding grounds and encourage the return of aquatic species such as fish, crabs, oysters and periwinkles.

He noted that the restored mangrove forests are already serving as significant carbon sinks, with plans underway to leverage carbon-credit opportunities that could provide sustainable funding for host communities and ensure long-term conservation of the ecosystem.

Zabbey explained that beyond environmental gains, the project has become a source of livelihood for thousands of Ogoni youths and women employed as mangrove planters, nursery operators and shoreline environmental monitors known as Mangrove Vanguards.

He added that HYPREP’s intervention extends beyond mangrove restoration to include shoreline cleanup, remediation of polluted soil and groundwater, provision of potable water, health programmes, livelihood support schemes and the ongoing Ogoni Power Project.

The project coordinator said local communities have embraced ownership of the restoration programme, with traditional rulers and community surveillance teams working to protect restored facilities and prevent re-pollution and vandalism.

“HYPREP remains committed to accelerating remediation activities while empowering communities through sustainable livelihood programmes, environmental education and grassroots advocacy,” he stated.

Calling for greater collaboration, HYPREP urged stakeholders, community leaders, development partners and the international community to support ongoing efforts aimed at restoring and safeguarding the Niger Delta environment.

Similarly, the Executive Director of We the People, Ken Henshaw, has 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.

Speaking on Friday during a documentary screening and community dialogue organised to mark the World Environmental Day, Henshaw said 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.

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.

Also, 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.

On his part, 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.