Nigeria gas seepage and oil spill hearings

The House of Representatives Committee on Nigeria — Niger Delta Development Commission, chaired by Julius Pondi, held an urgent stakeholders' engagement and legislative hearing in Abuja on August 13, 2026, to address two environmental incidents in Nigeria's Niger Delta. The first is a prolonged gas seepage in Bille community, Nigeria — Rivers State, which began on November 6, 2025, and has persisted for about nine months. NOSDRA confirmed the presence of hazardous gases including hydrogen sulphide, methane, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide, with elevated concentrations exceeding regulatory thresholds. The agency also detected elevated total petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater, surface water, and sediment, indicating pollution. However, NOSDRA has not linked the seepage to a specific oil and gas operator, suggesting a possibly biogenic source. The second incident is an oil spill affecting Odidi Federated Community in Nigeria — Delta State for over five months. The committee demanded urgent intervention and concrete action, emphasizing the need for time-bound resolutions. Bille community representatives, including Chief Luckyman Egbila of the Bille Kingdom Chiefs Council, raised concerns about health, livelihoods, and water contamination, noting that the Nigeria — Rivers State Government provided N100 million in palliative measures. The committee expects comprehensive briefings from NUPRC, NOSDRA, and operating companies, and will conduct further legislative hearings.