President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate commencement of high-level talks to facilitate the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland.
The directive, issued on Wednesday at the State House in Abuja, signals a potential new chapter for the oil-rich region, which has been at the heart of environmental and social struggles in the Niger Delta since the 1990s.
The President’s order followed the formal presentation of a report by the Presidential Committee on the Ogoni Consultations, chaired by former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Don Baridam. The ceremony was attended by a high-powered Ogoni delegation led by the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
President Tinubu tasked the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, with leading the engagement process, which will involve the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), representatives of the Ogoni people, and other critical stakeholders. The objective is to finalise the modalities for the safe and equitable resumption of oil exploration activities.
In a powerful gesture of national reconciliation, President Tinubu also used the occasion to confer posthumous national honours on four prominent Ogoni figures who were killed during the struggle for environmental justice. The late Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Albert Bade, Chief Samuel Orage, and Chief Theophilus Orage were each awarded the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
This action follows the President’s decision in June to confer similar honours on Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists executed by the military government in 1995, representing a concerted effort by the administration to acknowledge past grievances.
Addressing the gathering, President Tinubu framed the moment as a historic opportunity for healing and progress. He acknowledged the profound suffering endured by the Ogoni people over many years. “We are not, as a government, taking lightly the years of pain endured in Ogoniland. We recognise that, otherwise, we would not be here today,” the President stated. “The Federal Government truly acknowledges the long suffering of the Ogoni people, and today, we declare with conviction that hope is here and is back with us.” He urged the community to embrace dialogue and unity, emphasising that “this reconciliation is not an erasure of history but the commitment to write the next chapter together.”
The President’s specific directive to the NSA was clear and focused on practical outcomes. “Accordingly, I am directing the National Security Adviser to commence immediately the engagement between the Ogoni people and NNPCL and all relevant stakeholders with a view to finalising modalities to begin operations. We must start by addressing non-valuable assets, which are of no benefit to the community, the country, or its people,” he said. He further assured stakeholders of the government’s determination to “deploy necessary resources to address the concerns of the Ogoni people and achieve shared prosperity.”
The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, provided context on the confidence-building measures that paved the way for this breakthrough. He revealed that President Tinubu had approved several early steps to build trust, including constituting the Governing Council for the Federal University of Environment and Technology and accelerating work on the critical East-West Road. Ribadu noted that these actions helped mediate tensions.
“All through the process, tensions and divisions were carefully mediated, and a spirit of dialogue prevailed over confrontation, leading to a constructive and all-inclusive consultation process,” he stated.
He added that the consensus reached points towards a resumption of oil production “anchored on fairness, equity, environmental responsibility and direct community benefit.”
Governor Siminalayi Fubara affirmed the positive impact of these measures, stating that they had already led to visible improvements in infrastructure projects within the region. Professor Don Baridam, the committee chairman, thanked the President for his leadership, describing the decision to create the committee under the NSA’s office as an act of “foresight.” He also expressed profound gratitude for the posthumous honours bestowed on Ken Saro-Wiwa and the others, calling it an acknowledgement of their “immense sacrifices in the struggle for environmental justice and human rights in the Niger Delta.”
The directive from President Tinubu marks the most concrete step taken by the federal government in years to address the complex issue of oil production in Ogoniland. If the subsequent stakeholder engagements are successful, it could unlock significant economic value for both the region and the nation, while aiming to finally balance economic imperatives with environmental protection and social justice for the Ogoni people.
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