UK High Court begins hearing in case against Shell over oil spills in Nigeria’s Delta region

A High Court in the United Kingdom has begun hearings on a high-profile lawsuit brought against energy giant Shell by Nigerian communities alleging environmental damage caused by oil spills in the Niger Delta.

The decade-old lawsuit case, which involves the Ogale and Bille communities, focuses on Shell’s responsibility for oil pollution that has devastated local livelihoods, particularly farming and fishing, in the region. The lawsuit, which was filed by 13,000 Nigerian farmers against Shell, claims that decades of oil leaks from Shell’s infrastructure have polluted their water sources and left them without means of sustenance. A major point of contention is whether Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary, SPDC, is liable for spills caused by criminal activities such as pipeline sabotage and oil theft, as the company argues. Shell maintains that it has cleaned up spills regardless of their origin, but denies responsibility for criminal acts.

The legal proceedings, which are expected to continue until March 2025, could have significant implications. If successful, it could be the first time a UK-based multinational is found liable for violating human rights through environmental pollution. The case also raises broader questions about corporate accountability for actions abroad, especially in regions with ongoing instability. Meanwhile, mass protests against Shell have been staged in Nigeria and in the UK, with demonstrators decrying the environmental degradation caused by the company’s operations and demanding compensation along with a thorough cleanup of the affected areas. Local leaders have argued that Shell’s operations in Nigeria have caused irreparable harm, with some calling for the company to take moral responsibility for the long-lasting damage to the environment and people’s health.