Access to Environmental Justice in Nigeria: The Case for a Global Environmental Court of Justice

The report examines the catastrophic environmental and human rights impacts of transnational oil companies, specifically Shell, in Nigeria's Niger Delta. It details the persistence of gas flaring and oil spills, the resulting destruction of rural livelihoods, and the systemic barriers—such as high legal costs, burden of proof, and judicial delays—that prevent victims from accessing justice in Nigerian courts. Through case studies, it demonstrates how corporations use legal stalling and jurisdictional challenges to evade accountability, concluding that a legally binding global treaty and an international environmental court are necessary to protect human rights and the environment.

• Transnational oil companies in Nigeria's Niger Delta, including Shell, Chevron, Eni, and Total, operate with corporate impunity, leading to severe environmental degradation and human rights violations.
• Gas flaring has been illegal in Nigeria since January 1984, yet it continues unabated; in 2015, 271.38 billion standard cubic feet of gas, valued at US$518.33 million, was flared.
• Oil spills occur daily in the Niger Delta, with over 1,000 spills per year from corroded pipelines, resulting in an annual average spill of approximately 500,000 barrels.
• Environmental pollution has severely impacted local health and livelihoods, with benzene levels in drinking water found to be 900 times above WHO standards and soil contamination reaching depths of 5 metres in areas Shell claimed to have cleaned.
• Victims of environmental crimes in Nigeria face significant judicial hurdles, including the high cost of litigation, the 'locus standi' (right to sue) requirement, and a burden of proof that favors wealthy corporations over impoverished communities.
• Corporations use the Nigerian legal system to delay justice; for example, the Ekeremor Zion case against Shell involved a legal battle lasting over 30 years before a judgment was upheld in 2015.
• The document advocates for a World Environmental Court (WEC) and a legally binding treaty to ensure transnational corporations are held accountable for human rights violations and ecocide.

APA

Ojo, G. U., & Tokunbor, N. (2016). Access to Environmental Justice in Nigeria: The Case for a Global Environmental Court of Justice. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/22-Environmental-Justice-Nigeria-Shell-English.pdf

Chicago

Ojo, Godwin Uyi, and Nosa Tokunbor. Access to Environmental Justice in Nigeria: The Case for a Global Environmental Court of Justice. Friends of the Earth International, 2016. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/22-Environmental-Justice-Nigeria-Shell-English.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ojo |first1=Godwin Uyi |last2=Tokunbor |first2=Nosa |title=Access to Environmental Justice in Nigeria: The Case for a Global Environmental Court of Justice |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=October 2016 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/22-Environmental-Justice-Nigeria-Shell-English.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ojo2016access, author = {Ojo, Godwin Uyi and Tokunbor, Nosa}, title = {{Access to Environmental Justice in Nigeria: The Case for a Global Environmental Court of Justice}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2016}, month = oct, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/22-Environmental-Justice-Nigeria-Shell-English.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }