Spaces for Change (S4C), alongside the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), will host the fifth National Extractives Dialogue (NED 2026) in Port Harcourt on September 29–30.
Backed by the Ford Foundation, this year’s conference centers on the theme, “Remediation Before Divestment and Energy Transition: Amplifying the Bille Environmental Crisis.”
According to a statement released by S4C Executive Director Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, the two-day summit will assemble over 150 leaders—including government officials, regulators, community representatives, academics, and industry experts—to map out actionable solutions for the future of Nigeria’s extractive sector.
It stated: “The Nigerian extractive sector is experiencing a massive structural shift marked by accelerated onshore asset divestments by International Oil Companies (IOCs) alongside the strategic push toward a national energy transition.
“However, this transition is unfolding against a backdrop of ongoing environmental concerns in host communities across the Niger Delta.
“Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State, host to major asset blocks including Oil Mining Leases OML 18 and OML 24, sits at the centre of this discussion.
“Reports from affected communities and preliminary field observations indicate persistent environmental challenges, including reported gas leaks impacting local waterways, creeks, residential areas, and agricultural livelihoods.
“While technical assessments continue, the people of Bille await the outcome of verified scientific investigations and immediate relief measures, such as access to clean water.
“Effective resolution requires comprehensive technical source-tracing, inter-agency collaboration, and corporate accountability across operating entities.
“As Nigeria joins countries across the globe to clamour for energy transition while IOCs transfer onshore assets to domestic operators, concrete steps must be taken to ensure that historical environmental liabilities and remediation obligations are addressed.
“To ensure divestments do not leave communities bearing the burdens of extractive activities, NED 2026 proceeds upon the premise that responsible decommissioning, environmental cleanup, and inter-agency coordination must precede asset transfers and energy transition plans”
According to Ibezim-Ohaeri, since its inception, the National Extractives Dialogue had served as a constructive platform for spotlighting the complex realities in extractive governance in Nigeria and the broader West African region.
She noted that past editions have inspired community-led action, catalysed regulatory reforms, amplified marginalized voices, and deepened public discourse on accountability in the extractive sector.
“NED2025 builds on this legacy by not only raising urgent questions but also offering concrete strategies for reform.
“The Dialogue is structured as a grassroots community conference, enabling community members from Bille and neighbouring riverine areas to engage directly with regulators, industry operators, security agencies, and civil society to demand transparency and enforce corporate and state responsibility.,” she stated.
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