Members of the International Working Group on Petroleum Pollution and Just Energy Transition have expressed hope in possible collaboration with the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) on the clean-up of other impacted parts of the Niger Delta.
Speaking during a debriefing at the HYPREP head office in Port Harcourt on Friday, May 29, 2026, following their earlier visit to the Project’s sites in Ogoni, the leader of the team, Dr. Isaac Osuoka, said they were captivated with what they saw on ground at the various sites and facilities visited, commending the Project Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, and the entire HYPREP team for doing so well in the implementation of the UNEP report.
Osuoka particularly mentioned the achievements in some thematic areas, including the construction of Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, the Specialist Hospital, Mangrove restoration, provision of potable water and land remediation, saying these are strategic achievements that should be sustained and replicated in other areas of the Niger Delta.
“We are really impressed with what you’ve done, and believe there could be possibilities for collaboration, seeing what is on ground,” Osuoka said.
Responding, Zabbey expressed delight in their visit and tour of projects sites of HYPREP, saying at the moment, HYPREP is implementing all the recommendations of UNEP Report, highlighting the different stages and status of the various projects carried out by the different Units.
Zabbey said in addition to the completed water project in 49 communities so far, most of the other projects have reached between 90 to 96% completion, while the rest are advancing steadily.
The Project Coordinator explained that HYPREP is not just for Ogoni, but was set up for the remediation of other impacted areas in the region and beyond, noting that what the. Project is doing is basically developing a template for further works.
He stated that the Mangrove restoration project is community-centred, and that a friendly manual for mangrove restoration has been produced which will be useful globally, adding that HYPREP is not doing mangrove planting but restoration, and that baselines are ascertained before restoration.
The PC further said HYPREP is combining remediation and cutting-edge research, explaining its efforts in the introduction of Growcoon for mangrove nursery and planting, instead of using plastic materials in the mangrove restoration process. According to him, HYPREP is in talks with some Universities on the research on the use of Nypa palm, to experiment how it can be used to produce Growcoon.
On sustainable livelihoods, he said the programmes have been community-driven, and that over 7000 community workers have been employed, with about 3000 given IMO training and certification while others have graduated from trainings in several high demand skills.
He informed the group of the recognition and certification of Ogoni wetlands as Ramsar site of international importance by The Convention on Wetlands.
Zabbey urged them to subscribe to the HYPREP newsletter to be well informed of the activities of the Project, saying there is need for them to work closely with the Project.
Other members of the Group include Prof. Michael Watts, from the University of California, Dr. Abisoye Oyeyemi, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, Prof. Engobo Emeseh, Aberystwyth University, UK, Prof. Anna Zalik, York University, Canada, Dr. Emem Okon, Executive Director, Ketbatkache, Kathryn Nwajiaku-Dahou, , Director Odi Global, Caltlin Stronge, Odi Global, and AkpoBari Celestine Lead, Peoples Advancement Centre.
On the HYPREP side were the Director of Technical Services, Prof. Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Head of Environmental Remediation, Raphael Friday Saue, and others.
Earlier, members of the International Working Group on Petroleum Pollution and Just Energy Transition visited several HYPREP facilities and projects in Ogoni to lend their voice to the full implementation of the Clean-up Exercise by HYPREP, and to advocate the extension of the Remediation Project to other parts of the devastated Niger Delta region.
This visit was made as the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) continues to break grounds in the implementation of its mandates to clean polluted environment and provide sustainable livelihoods in Ogoni, which has attracted global attention and interests in the Project.
The frontline Environmental rights crusaders had an engagement with HYPREP Officials on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, and later embarked on a tour of HYPREP projects sites in Ogoni.
The sites visit, which was coordinated by HYPREP Officials, led by Head of Environmental Remediation, Raphael Friday Saue, representing Zabbey, also had foremost Human rights defenders, which include Kathryn Nwajiaku-Dahou, Prof. Anna Zalik from the York University, Toronto, Canada, Dr. Asume Isaac Osuoka, Comrade Morris Alagoa, and Celestine Akpobari. Others are Botti Isaac and some members of Civil Society Organizations from Niger Delta States.
The group, while commending HYPREP for making significant impacts in the implementation of the Project, described the Ogoni environmental intervention as a drop in the ocean, considering the vast unremediated polluted sites in other parts of the Niger Delta, and called on the Government, the International Oil Companies and other extractive industry operators to consider extending the cleanup project to cover the entire impacted sites in the Niger Delta.
HYPREP facilities and project sites visited included the reticulated potable Water facility in Kporghor, Tai LGA, Mangrove Restoration site in Bomu, Gokana LGA, Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration and Ogoni Power Project in Wiiyaakara, Khana LGA, Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite, Tai LGA, and Land and Groundwater Remediation site in Eleme LGA.