Struggles for a Just Energy Transition in Nigeria’s Niger Delta: Just for Whom?

Abstract

At the 2021 UN Conference of the Parties (COP) meeting in Glasgow, Nigeria committed to renewable energy to contain carbon emissions responsible for global warming. Its subsequent national Energy Transition Plan pledged to cut emissions by phasing out fossil fuels. Decades of oil exploration in Nigeria’s Niger Delta have caused extensive environmental damage resulting in the destruction of traditional livelihoods, economic strangulation, and widespread poverty. Multinational oil corporations are now divesting rapidly, leaving behind a trail of environmental pollution without compensation to impacted communities. The clash between fossil-fuel phase-outs and local people’s environmental justice demands demonstrate the imperative of embedding justice and inclusion into green energy solutions. Drawing from the experiences of Nigeria’s oil-rich communities in the Niger Delta, this article argues that placing justice at the centre of national and global decarbonisation agendas is essential for ensuring that greener solutions do not contribute to human rights abuses and exacerbate pre-existing environmental challenges.