NDDC, HYPREP Join Forces To Revitalise Niger Delta Environment

Port Harcourt, Rivers State – The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) have announced a strengthened partnership to accelerate environmental restoration efforts in the Niger Delta region, with an initial focus on Ogoni land.

A recent joint inspection tour of HYPREP remediation sites in Gokana Local Government Area, Rivers State, revealed significant progress and the possibility of broader impact.

Dr. Henry Okokon, Director of the NDDC’s Environmental Protection and Control Directorate, emphasised the commission’s commitment to combating environmental degradation, particularly in areas like K-Dere, where soil and groundwater contamination is still a major concern.

According to Project Consultant Prof. Godwin Igile, he is pleased with the remediation work at the Boobanabe K-Dere site, which has reportedly completed more than half of the project.

The collaborative effort also includes the restoration of the mangrove ecosystem in Bomu, which Engr. Paul Aguiyi, Director of Technical Services at HYPREP, describes it as “the largest revegetation exercise in the world.”

Over 1.2 million mangroves have already been planted, to fully restore the ecosystem within the next five years. This, according to Aguiyi, has already resulted in the revitalisation of local fishing communities.

While HYPREP’s mandate is limited to Ogoni land, the partnership with NDDC seeks to leverage the commission’s broader reach throughout the Niger Delta

. Aguiyi emphasised the widespread degradation of mangroves in four to five Niger Delta states, arguing that the successful Ogoni model can be replicated to benefit the entire region.

He also confirmed the long-standing relationship between the two agencies, mentioning previous NDDC funding for HYPREP activities.

The collaboration represents a coordinated effort to address the long-term environmental damage caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.

The success of Ogoni land, as evidenced by tangible improvements in local livelihoods and ecosystem health, provides a promising model for a larger regional restoration initiative.