… Says UNEP Report guiding all interventions
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, has restated its unwavering commitment to achieving a thorough and transparent clean-up of Ogoniland in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, report of 2011.
Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, gave the assurance during the 2025 Third Quarterly Key Regulators and Asset Owners Meeting, held in Port Harcourt.
Zabbey said the meeting was imperative as it provides a crucial platform to strengthen collaboration among regulators, asset owners, and other stakeholders toward the full implementation of the UNEP report, with a focus on restoring livelihoods and rebuilding confidence in the clean-up process.
“This gathering is another opportunity for us to reaffirm our commitment to the environmental restoration of Ogoniland and to strengthen the vital partnership among HYPREP, regulators, and asset owners to ensure the full implementation of the UNEP Report’s recommendations,” he said.
According to him, the UNEP report highlighted the critical role of regulators and asset owners in ensuring environmental sustainability and accountability, noting that HYPREP has adopted a multi-stakeholder approach anchored on transparency, inclusivity, and quality control.
“The report calls for stronger regulatory oversight, strict adherence to environmental standards, and consistent stakeholder engagement to ensure environmental sustainability,” Zabbey stated.
“This quarterly meeting is, therefore, a direct response to those recommendations, serving as a platform to deepen engagement and strengthen the bonds that make our collective efforts more impactful.”
The HYPREP Coordinator reaffirmed that the project had made considerable progress across multiple thematic areas, including remediation of hydrocarbon-impacted sites, mangrove restoration, provision of potable water, public health interventions, livelihood restoration, and the ongoing Ogoni Power Project.
“It is also important to note that considerable progress is being recorded across various thematic areas of the Ogoni clean-up project,” he said. “These coordinated interventions are gradually restoring confidence in the clean-up effort and bringing renewed hope to Ogoniland.”
Zabbey further assured that quality assurance and quality control remain central to HYPREP’s operations, emphasizing adherence to both national and international environmental standards.
“Quality Assurance and Quality Control are being given increased attention at all levels of the project, and your continued support is crucial in this regard,” he noted. “Our interventions are executed professionally, safely, and in compliance with national regulatory standards and global best practices, guaranteeing value for money.”
He thanked regulators and stakeholders for their continued partnership, saying their oversight and technical input were vital to the integrity of the clean-up.
“Your consistent oversight, technical input, and commitment to upholding standards have remained essential to the integrity of the Ogoni clean-up efforts,” he added.
Regulators and stakeholders present at the meeting lauded HYPREP for adhering to international best practices and demonstrating commitment to the full implementation of the UNEP report.
Wilcox Doris Balafama, Director of Rural Development at the Rivers State Ministry of Water Resources, commended the agency’s collaboration and performance, particularly in the area of providing potable water to affected communities.
“HYPREP is doing very well; we’re collaborating properly,” she said. “If you ask me to rate HYPREP, I’ll say 90% for now. We’re always there with them in the field and if we notice anything that is not proper, we call them to attention, and they don’t hesitate to put things right.”
Also speaking, Meshach Uyi of the Centre for Environment and Human Rights Development, CEHRD, praised HYPREP’s remediation and livelihoods restoration strategy, describing it as one of the most robust in Africa.
“HYPREP has made remarkable improvement in the area of environmental remediation and mangrove restoration in Ogoni Land,” Uyi said. “I think it’s one of the most robust so far in Africa and I must commend them for that.”
The meeting, attended by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC,, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, Rivers State Ministries of Health, Power, and Water Resources, as well as civil society groups including SDN, CEHRD, SWAYA, and AIFES, ended with a shared commitment to deepen synergy and sustain the pace of progress.
