The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commenced a new phase of shoreline cleanup and mangrove restoration in Ogoniland as it develops a five-year strategic plan to guide the next stage of the Ogoni Cleanup Programme.
The Minister of Environment and Chairman of the HYPREP Governing Council, Malam Balarabe Lawal, disclosed this on Monday during activities marking the 10th anniversary of the Ogoni Cleanup Programme in Rivers State.
The new strategic plan, covering 2026 to 2031, will focus on completing outstanding projects, sustaining restored ecosystems, preventing re-pollution and strengthening community ownership of completed interventions.
Lawal said the plan would provide a clear roadmap for consolidating the gains recorded since the commencement of the cleanup programme.
The development coincided with the flag-off of the second phase of shoreline cleanup and mangrove restoration at Patrick Waterside in Bodo City, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to the minister, the new strategy would also strengthen HYPREP’s sustainability and post-remediation management framework to ensure that investments made by the Federal Government and its partners continue to benefit affected communities.
‘The plan will focus on completing outstanding interventions, sustaining restored ecosystems, preventing re-pollution and strengthening community ownership of completed projects,’ Lawal said.
He noted that the 10th anniversary of the Ogoni Cleanup Programme offered an opportunity to review progress, identify outstanding challenges and chart a clear direction for the next phase of the intervention.
Lawal reiterated that the Federal Government remained committed to implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which provided the basis for the establishment of HYPREP.
According to him, the elevation of HYPREP as a national priority since 2023 has helped to accelerate environmental remediation, livelihood restoration and other interventions across Ogoniland.
The HYPREP Project Coordinator, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, said the project had continued to combine environmental restoration with efforts to improve the livelihoods of affected communities.
He disclosed that 1,420 certified community workers had benefited from HYPREP’s livelihood and capacity-building programmes, while more than 8,500 direct jobs had been created for Ogoni youths and women.
Zabbey said the second phase of the shoreline and mangrove restoration project would further strengthen efforts to rehabilitate degraded coastal ecosystems.
He added that there were already encouraging signs of ecological recovery in some restored areas, including the gradual return of fish and other aquatic species.
The commencement of the new restoration phase and development of the 2026-2031 strategic plan signal an effort by HYPREP to move beyond immediate remediation towards ensuring that restored ecosystems and livelihoods in Ogoniland are sustained over the long term.