A total of 399 oil spillages recorded between January and August 2023

According to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), 399 incidents of oil spillages occurred in Nigeria between January and August 2023, resulting in the loss of 6321 barrels of crude oil.

According to the research, the spill occurred in the facilities of 28 oil companies, with Shell Petroleum Development Company spilling the most crude oil in 155 occurrences, accounting for 78.1 percent of total spillage. Oil spills have had far-reaching implications, including fiscal income losses, higher expenditure due to the cost of cleaning up oil spills, environmental damage, increased health risks to nearby residents, and interruptions to livelihoods.

Furthermore, NOSDRA indicated that sabotage and theft were responsible for 99.4 percent of the barrels leaked, while crude oil pipelines were responsible for 87.2 percent of the barrels spilt. As a result, the government should increase restrictions and strengthen security measures, particularly around pipelines. These initiatives aim to limit the occurrence of spills, theft, and sabotage by assuring frequent pipeline inspections and maintenance, as well as strengthening safety and environmental requirements. SOURCE: CSEA Africa