By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has pledged to advance citizen-led, sustainable climate action in the Niger Delta, saying local communities will play a central role in driving environmental restoration and long-term climate resilience.
Speaking at the 2026 commemoration of World Environment Day themed “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future,” HYPREP Project Coordinator Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey said this year’s global campaign highlights the urgent signals the Earth is sending and calls for immediate, accelerated action on climate change and environmental degradation.
He said HYPREP reaffirmed its commitment to best practices and to the full implementation of the Ogoni cleanup as recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Zabbey noted that World Environment Day holds profound significance as HYPREP continues its mandate to restore the integrity of Ogoniland’s socio-ecological landscape and revitalize communities affected by decades of hydrocarbon pollution. He listed ongoing shoreline cleanup, mangrove restoration, remediation of polluted soil and groundwater, provision of potable water, livelihood support, health interventions, and the Ogoni Power Project as direct responses to the call for environmental healing and sustainable development.
“As we scale up our mangrove restoration project and revive the world’s largest oil-degraded mangrove area, HYPREP is planting millions of native mangroves. Our restoration teams are systematically removing invasive nipa palms to allow native mangrove species and other biodiversity to thrive,” he said.
He stated that the mangrove restoration is reviving vital fish breeding and nursery grounds. Expanding mangrove canopies have triggered the gradual return of fish, crabs, oysters, and periwinkles.
“The restored mangroves are sequestering large quantities of carbon, helping to mitigate global climate change. These carbon assets are being positioned to secure carbon credits, ensuring long-term funding for communities to continue conserving the restored mangroves,” Zabbey said.
He added that thousands of Ogoni youth and women are directly employed as mangrove planters, nursery operators, and environmental shoreline monitors known as “Mangrove Vanguards.” They protect restored zones from re-pollution and help eliminate artisanal refining, alongside HYPREP’s continued engagement with ex-artisanal refiners.
Zabbey said the project has secured collective community ownership, with local surveillance teams and traditional rulers actively co-managing newly restored shorelines and facilities in their communities to prevent vandalism.
HYPREP, he added, reaffirmed its commitment to accelerate remediation actions, working with technical partners and local stakeholders to ensure the highest standards of environmental cleanup across impacted communities. The Project will also continue empowering communities through investment in sustainable livelihood programs, including agricultural support and vocational training, to ensure economic resilience.
This, he said, complements HYPREP’s environmental advocacy, where youth and local populations are engaged through environmental clubs in schools and grassroots sensitization campaigns to foster a culture of conservation. The Ogoni wetlands have also been designated a Ramsar Site of international importance by the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands.
“As we observe World Environment Day 2026, we call on all stakeholders, community leaders, the people of the Niger Delta, and the international community to partner with HYPREP to restore and safeguard our shared environment. HYPREP remains resolute in its mission and inspired 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 concluded.
