The British oil giant has repeatedly delayed the case, claiming it has no legal responsibility for any of the pollution
After a decade-long battle for justice, the case brought by the Nigerian Ogale and Bille communities against Shell will be heard in the UK Court of Appeal from 13 February to 10 March.
More than 13,000 members of the Bille and Ogale communities in the Niger Delta say their environment and their ability to farm and fish have been largely destroyed by decades of widespread oil pollution, allegedly caused by Shell plc’s Nigerian subsidiary SPDC.
The communities brought their claims to the UK courts however Shell has repeatedly delayed the case arguing it had no legal responsibility for any of the pollution.
On 6 December 2024, the UK Court of Appeal gave the green light for the case to go ahead.
The Niger Delta is the biggest oil-producing region in Africa.
Shell was the largest international oil company operating in Nigeria until it sold The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) in January 2024, following years of controversy over oil spills and high-profile lawsuits.
Shell has remained active in Nigeria’s offshore oil and gas sector.
Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International’s Country Director for Nigeria, said: “The Bille and Ogale communities of Nigeria’s Niger Delta oil-producing region have been living with the devastating impact of oil pollution for so long.
“Oil companies, particularly Shell, exposed them to multiple oil spills that have done permanent damage to farmlands, waterways, and drinking water – leaving them unable to farm or fish.
“Water contamination and other impacts affect even babies that are in some cases born with deformities. These communities have been deprived of a good standard of living. They deserve justice and effective remediation, and I hope this long-overdue trial goes someway to providing it.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward doesn't have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.