Mkpoikana Udoma
Abuja — In a bold step toward addressing the health consequences of decades of oil pollution in the Niger Delta, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC, a specialized arm of the World Health Organization, WHO, have officially launched a three-year public health study in Ogoniland.
The initiative, announced during a kick-off meeting at HYPREP’s Port Harcourt office, is part of ongoing efforts to implement critical recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, on Ogoni. It marks a significant shift in HYPREP’s remediation strategy, broadening the focus from environmental cleanup to human health impact.
“The health implications of hydrocarbon pollution have long been a concern in Ogoniland and remain a core focus of HYPREP’s mandate,” said Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator of HYPREP.
“The UNEP Report on Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland recommends a long-term, focused medical study to track health impacts across the Ogoni population. This highlights the urgent need for the work we are initiating today.”
The study aims to produce a comprehensive health risk assessment directly linked to exposure from oil pollution. It will also build local healthcare capacity and generate policy recommendations that may reshape public health and environmental regulation in Nigeria’s oil-rich region.
HYPREP said the collaboration with IARC is pivotal in ensuring scientific rigor, ethical compliance, and international credibility. “We believe this partnership with IARC is pivotal as it integrates environmental remediation with robust public health research, an approach that is both holistic and sustainable,” Prof. Zabbey said.
The study’s key deliverables include: Medical assessments of communities in affected areas, Capacity building for local health professionals, Community engagement frameworks, Evidence-based recommendations for public health interventions.
HYPREP emphasised the importance of community inclusion and transparency, noting that “community leaders, civil society groups, and health institutions must be brought into this process from the outset to ensure trust, ownership, and relevance.”
The initiative also seeks to address global health concerns emerging in polluted environments, including cancer, reproductive disorders, and respiratory illnesses.
“Let me reaffirm HYPREP’s full commitment to a comprehensive and independent health study of Ogoniland as recommended by UNEP. We will provide the necessary technical, logistical, and institutional support to facilitate smooth project implementation.”
Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, the leader of the IARC team, Dr Joachim Schuz, said the study aimed to provide concrete evidence of the impact of environmental pollution on the health of the people.
According to Dr Schuz, “We do not want to be speculating, we need to show it, we need to prove what is going on beneath,” even as he explained that the study would collect blood samples from approximately 4,000 people to measure the levels of hydrocarbon exposure and assess the damage already caused.
He added that they will also gather information on the living conditions of the people, including their exposure to pollutants and other health risks.
Schuz called on the people of Ogoniland to participate in the study, which is expected to provide valuable information for public health planning and disease prevention.
A member of the team, Mike Cowing, said samples would be taken from areas where groundwater and crops were contaminated with hydrocarbons.
Ann Oisson, another member of the medical team, noted that children could be affected differently from adults due to their smaller body size and higher exposure levels.
She explained that the team was working to ensure that the study was representative of the entire Ogoni population, with a focus on finding solutions to sample representatives from the four local government areas that make up Ogoni land.
The Ogoni Public Health Study is expected to produce its first round of field data and technical workshops before the end of Q4 2025.
