Senate Passes bill to jail oil polluters, impose heavier fine

By Henry Umoru ABUJA- THE Senate has passed a bill that would strengthen the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) with powers to impose heavier fines and criminal penalties for oil spill violations. The bill is titled National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed after the Senate adopted the report of its Committee on Environment.

The bill seeks to amend the NOSDRA Establishment Act 2006 to provide statutory backing for adequate fines and criminal sanctions to enforce environmental laws in the petroleum sector. In his presentation of the report, Chairman Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi, Senate Chief Whip Senator Tahir Monguno (Borno North) said the amendment addresses persistent pollution in the Niger Delta.

He said oil spills have continued to devastate the environment and destroy livelihoods, particularly fishing and farming, in oil-producing communities. According to Monguno, existing penalties have failed to deter offenders, necessitating tougher sanctions. “The fines are not deterrent enough to deter offenders,” he told the Senate, adding that the bill introduces criminal liability for spills that damage the environment and deprive residents of their means of livelihood.

The Senate dissolved into Committee of the Whole to consider the bill clause by clause and approved Clauses 1 to 12, including the short title, explanatory memorandum and long title. Upon reverting to plenary, the Senate read the bill a third time and passed it. The law is expected to boost NOSDRA’s enforcement capacity and provide a stronger framework for tackling oil spill violations.

The President Godswill Akpabio hailed the Environment Committee for its work and congratulated NOSDRA on the additional powers granted by the legislation. ENDS