Nigeria: Delta Records Highest Oil Spill As Nine Incidents Release Nearly 130,000 Litres of Crude

What the report says

Official oil spill records reviewed by Premium Times and distributed by AllAfrica say nine crude oil spill incidents in Nigeria’s Niger Delta released an estimated 129,855 litres between 2 August and 17 September 2026. Delta State accounted for nearly 90% of the total spill volume, with smaller incidents also recorded in Bayelsa and Rivers states. The reporting is based on records from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

According to the article, Delta recorded seven of the nine incidents, while Bayelsa and Rivers had one each. The largest single spill came from ND Western’s W14T wellhead in Ughelli South Local Government Area, where more than 112,000 litres were estimated to have been released. Other incidents in Delta were linked by investigators to sabotage or oil theft, equipment failure, corrosion, or operational and maintenance errors. Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited was noted for the highest number of incidents across the period, even though one ND Western event was the biggest by volume.

The Bayelsa spill involved a pipeline in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and was also attributed to sabotage or oil theft, with investigators reporting damage that may have been caused by an improvised explosive device. In Rivers State, a much smaller spill was tied to sabotage or theft. The records said several incidents affected swamp vegetation, surface water, soil, fishing nets and aquatic life.

The report underscores the continuing environmental and livelihood risks from oil pollution in the Niger Delta, where spills remain a recurring problem. It also follows similar spill patterns documented in earlier monthly reviews cited by Premium Times.