By: Felix Ikpotor
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring best practices and the full implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recommendations on the clean up of Ogoniland.
HYPREP gave the assurance in a message to mark this year’s World Environment Day.
Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey who signed the statement pledged to advance the Project’s ambition for citizen-led sustainable climate action in the Niger Delta.
He said the World Environment Day 2026, theme “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For our Future,” highlights the urgent signals the earth is sending and calls for immediate, accelerated action to address climate change and environmental degradation.
”HYPREP reaffirms its commitment to best practices and to the full implementation of the Ogoni cleanup, as recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
”For HYPREP, this day holds profound significance as we continue our mandate to restore the integrity of Ogoniland’s socio-ecological landscape and revitalise communities affected by decades of hydrocarbon pollution.
”Our ongoing shoreline cleanup, mangrove restoration, remediation of polluted soil and groundwater, provision of potable water, livelihood support initiatives, health interventions, and the Ogoni Power Project are direct responses to the call for environmental healing and sustainable development, ” Zabbey said.
He further noted that the Project is committed to scaling up its mangrove restoration project and reviving the world’s largest oil-degraded mangrove area.
The Project Coordinator said HYPREP is planting millions of native mangroves while its restoration teams are systematically mitigating invasive nipa palms to allow native mangrove species and other biodiversity to thrive.
”Our mangrove restoration effort is restoring vital fish breeding and nursery grounds and expanding mangrove canopies, which has triggered the gradual return of fish, crabs, oysters, and periwinkles. The restored mangroves are sequestering large quantities of carbon, thereby helping mitigate global climate change. These carbon assets are being positioned to secure carbon credits, ensuring long-term funding for the communities to continue conserving the restored mangrove,” he added.
Zabbey noted that thousands of Ogoni youth and women are directly employed as mangrove planters, nursery operators, and environmental shoreline monitors, known as Mangrove Vanguards, who are helping to protect restored zones from re-pollution and to eliminate the threat of artisanal refining, in addition to its continued engagement with ex-artisanal refiners.
He disclosed further that the Project has secured collective community ownership, with local surveillance teams and traditional rulers actively co-managing the newly restored shorelines and facilities built in their respective communities to prevent vandalism.
HYPREP in the statement, reaffirmed its commitment to accelerate remediation actions, working alongside technical partners and local stakeholders to ensure the highest standards of environmental remediation across impacted communities.
The Project promised to cintinue empower communities through robust investment in sustainable livelihood programmes, including agricultural support and vocational training, to ensure the economic resilience of the people. This he said is done in addition to environmental advocacy, where the Project engages youths and local populations through established environmental clubs in schools and grassroots sensitisation campaigns to foster a culture of conservation, even as he said the Ogoni wetlands have been designated as a Ramsar Site of international importance by the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands.
HYPREP believes environmental restoration is not just a regulatory obligation but a fundamental duty to the present and future generations, vowing to ensure the Ogoni cleanup project achieves that.
The Project used the occasion of the World Environment Day 2026, to call on all stakeholders, community leaders, people of the Niger Delta, and the international community to partner with HYPREP to restore and safeguard the environment.
”HYPREP remains resolute in its mission and inspired, particularly by the sustained community support for bringing lasting environmental restoration to Ogoniland and its environs, ensuring that the Ogoni people live in a safe, healthy, and economically vibrant environment,” Zabbey maintained.
