The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has announced that the first phase of its landmark Ogoni mangrove restoration project has reached 94 per cent completion, signaling a major step toward restoring the degraded ecosystems of the Niger Delta.
The HYPREP Project Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, disclosed this during the third-quarter interactive session with Ogoni youth groups held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday.
Zabbey noted that the progress marks one of the most significant milestones in Nigeria’s ongoing environmental recovery efforts following decades of oil pollution in Ogoniland.
He said the restoration aligns with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recommendations and global efforts to protect and regenerate mangroves vital ecosystems that store carbon, shield coastlines, and sustain marine life.
“We are committed to transparency and accountability in implementing the cleanup projects and activities,” Zabbey stated, emphasizing that HYPREP’s activities are guided by inclusivity and community participation.
According to him, shoreline remediation has reached 67.1 per cent, while phase two of land remediation stands at 36.55 per cent completion.
On potable water supply, Zabbey revealed that 14 completed water facilities are now providing clean drinking water to 40 Ogoni communities, with two additional facilities in Bane and Gwara set for commissioning next week increasing the total to 45 communities with access to safe water.
He added that the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Remediation is in progress, while the Ogoni Power Project continues steadily, with compensation and construction ongoing at Bodo and Wiiyaakara substations.
The Ogoni Specialist Hospital is 76.8 per cent completed, while the Buan Cottage Hospital has reached 98.7 per cent, alongside other ongoing public health interventions such as the Human Bio-Monitoring Survey.
On livelihood development, the HYPREP boss disclosed that over 7,000 Ogoni women and youths have gained employment, while 5,000 others have been trained in technical and entrepreneurial skills with start-up support.
“Training in demand-driven skills such as cybersecurity, full-stack development, mud logging, commercial diving, and underwater welding will commence this quarter,” he announced.
Zabbey urged Ogoni youths to remain peaceful and supportive of the project, stressing that the success of the cleanup depends on community collaboration.
“This project belongs to all of you. Its success depends mainly on your participation, unity, and constructive engagement. Let us continue to address challenges through dialogue rather than confrontation,” he advised.
Environmental experts have hailed the Ogoni mangrove restoration as a critical global climate action, given that mangroves act as natural carbon sinks capable of storing up to four times more carbon than tropical rainforests.
Their recovery in Ogoniland, once devastated by oil spills, represents a symbolic victory for environmental justice and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.
Zabbey commended the HYPREP security team for maintaining peace at project sites, assuring continued progress toward ensuring that the benefits of the Ogoni cleanup reach all categories of Ogoni youths from farmers and entrepreneurs to scholars and advocates.
By Dare Akogun
