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“No More Silence”: Niger Delta Fishermen Urge Tinubu to Enforce $3.6 Billion Compensation from Shell Over Bonga Oil Spill

More than a decade after the devastating Bonga oil spill, thousands of Niger Delta fishermen are demanding long-overdue justice. The Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria (Niger Delta Region) has issued a heartfelt plea to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, calling on him to compel Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) to pay the $3.6 billion compensation awarded for the 2011 environmental disaster.

In a “Save Our Soul” petition submitted Monday, the fishermen urged President Tinubu to act in the spirit of his Renewed Hope Agenda by enforcing the compensation ruling issued by NOSDRA—the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency—and ratified by the National Assembly.

“Your Excellency, it is on the strength of your renewed hope initiative that we, as one of the most neglected and defenceless groups in Nigeria, submit this petition to your exalted office. We implore you to prevail on Shell to pay the compensation awarded to our members and the impacted communities,” the petition read.

A Crisis Still Unresolved Since 2011
The incident in question occurred on December 20, 2011, when a rupture at Shell’s Bonga Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility discharged an estimated 40,000 barrels (6.4 million litres) of crude oil into the Atlantic Ocean. The slick spread rapidly across Nigeria’s coastline, damaging fishing grounds and affecting marine ecosystems across Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, and Ondo States.

The result, according to the petitioners, was economic devastation: joblessness, food insecurity, and deepening poverty among artisanal fishing communities who have been left to bear the brunt of environmental neglect.

Compensation Awarded—But Never Paid
Following the disaster, NOSDRA imposed a total liability of $3.6 billion on Shell—$1.8 billion for environmental damages and economic losses, and $1.8 billion as a punitive penalty. Despite this, Shell has yet to comply.

The fishermen claim they adhered to all official directives, including a suspension of fishing ordered by NOSDRA, at great personal and financial sacrifice. They also noted that numerous letters to SPDC and relevant authorities have been ignored, prompting their direct appeal to the presidency.

“A public hearing was conducted by the National Assembly, and Shell was directed to pay the affected people,” the letter reiterated. “Yet, more than a decade later, not a single kobo has been paid.”

A Call for Presidential Intervention
The association, represented by leaders Prince Alexander Mesogboriwon, Jeremiah Omogbemi, Olamiyeye Jeje, Anthony Erejuwa, and Alhaji Erukubami Durojaye, is now demanding:

That President Tinubu compel Shell to pay the $3.6 billion in compensation.

That NOSDRA, the Attorney General, and the Minister of Justice be directed to enforce the National Assembly’s ruling and sanction Shell accordingly.

They see the matter not only as a fight for environmental justice but also as a test of Nigeria’s sovereignty and commitment to protecting its most vulnerable citizens from corporate impunity.

The Bonga Legacy: More Than Just a Spill
The Bonga spill remains one of the most infamous environmental disasters in Nigeria’s history—a stark reminder of the fragile relationship between oil-producing communities and multinational oil companies. It has become a symbol of unresolved grievances, institutional neglect, and the growing demand for corporate accountability in the Niger Delta.

For the thousands of families still living with the consequences, the hope now rests with President Tinubu’s leadership to turn compensation from a broken promise into a long-overdue reality.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna