Communities in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States are grappling with the devastating effects of decades of oil exploration, leaving residents impoverished despite sitting atop rich oil reserves.

In Ibeno Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom, residents live without clean water, electricity, or healthcare. Oil spills have contaminated rivers, ruined farmland, and accelerated corrosion of rooftops. Rainwater often carries oil into rivers, endangering fishing livelihoods.

Comrade Okon, youth president of Okoroitak village, expressed frustration over unfulfilled promises. “The company’s pipeline passes beside our drinking water. We asked for clean water and solar street lights, but nothing has been done,” he said. Residents also report receiving threats for speaking out about the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) funds, which mandate that 3% of petroleum companies’ operational proceeds support host communities.

In Iwuosha and Iwuopom communities, oil spills have destroyed aquatic life and farmlands. Fishermen and farmers have lost their primary sources of income. Abigail Edideom, women’s leader in Iwuopom, said childbirth has become perilous due to lack of clinics, while Austin Akpan, community chairman, highlighted decades of employment exclusion from oil companies.

Multinational firms including ExxonMobil, Seplat Energy, Network Exploration Company, and Coin Oil have been implicated in pollution. Despite reported spills—Seplat recorded 167 incidents spilling over 1,166 barrels of oil between 2020 and 2025—community complaints often go unaddressed.

In Rivers State, decades-old spills in Ogoniland continue to impact livelihoods. Environmental remediation led by HYPREP and Shell is ongoing but slow. Local activists, including Nnimmo Bassey and members of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), have been planting mangroves to restore aquatic life. Residents report ongoing challenges, including infertile soil, contaminated water, and rising health issues.

Experts warn that oil companies often abandon damaged lands while moving to deep-sea operations, leaving communities vulnerable. Regulators’ dependence on oil companies for logistics can lead to collusion and underreporting of spills, critics say. Calls for transparency, proper use of Environmental Remediation Funds, and an honest energy transition away from oil are intensifying.

Residents and community leaders urge urgent government intervention to restore health, livelihoods, and basic infrastructure in affected communities.