World Environment Day: HYPREP Says Ogoni Cleanup Creating Climate Assets, Biodiversity Recovery, Others

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Chidi Ugwu

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has said the ongoing environmental restoration of Ogoniland is delivering measurable climate, ecological and economic benefits, positioning the cleanup programme as a model for climate action in the Niger Delta.

Marking World Environment Day 2026, HYPREP said its large-scale mangrove restoration initiative is not only reversing decades of environmental degradation caused by hydrocarbon pollution but is also creating carbon assets that could generate long-term funding for local communities through carbon credit schemes.

In a statement issued on Friday by the Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, HYPREP described the Ogoni cleanup as a results-driven environmental intervention that aligns with this year’s World Environment Day theme, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For our Future.”

According to the agency, millions of native mangrove trees are being planted across degraded shoreline areas as part of efforts to restore what it described as the world’s largest oil-degraded mangrove ecosystem.

It added that restoration teams are simultaneously removing invasive nipa palms to enable the regeneration of indigenous mangrove species and other forms of biodiversity.

HYPREP said the restoration programme has already begun yielding positive ecological outcomes, including the gradual return of aquatic species such as fish, crabs, oysters and periwinkles to previously polluted habitats.

The agency noted that the expanding mangrove forests are serving as significant carbon sinks by absorbing and storing large volumes of carbon dioxide, thereby contributing to global efforts to combat climate change.

Beyond environmental gains, HYPREP said the project has become a major source of employment for local residents, with thousands of youths and women engaged as mangrove planters, nursery operators and environmental shoreline monitors known as Mangrove Vanguards.

The monitors, according to the statement, play a critical role in safeguarding restored areas against fresh pollution and illegal artisanal refining activities.

HYPREP added that it continues to engage former artisanal refiners as part of broader efforts to sustain environmental recovery in the region.

The agency also highlighted growing community participation in the cleanup process, noting that traditional rulers and local surveillance groups have assumed ownership roles in protecting restored shorelines and environmental infrastructure from vandalism.

HYPREP further outlined other interventions under the Ogoni cleanup programme, including shoreline remediation, groundwater and soil restoration, potable water projects, healthcare services, livelihood support initiatives and the ongoing Ogoni Power Project.

Zabbey reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to accelerating remediation activities in collaboration with technical partners and host communities while expanding investments in agriculture, vocational training and environmental education.

He also pointed to the international recognition recently accorded the Ogoni wetlands through their designation as a Ramsar Site of global importance under the Convention on Wetlands.

Calling for greater collaboration, HYPREP urged stakeholders, community leaders, residents of the Niger Delta and development partners to support efforts aimed at achieving lasting environmental restoration and sustainable development in Ogoniland.

The agency maintained that sustained community support remains central to its goal of delivering a safe, healthy and economically vibrant environment for present and future generations in the region.