By Diana Omueza

The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) is collaborating with the European Union in the areas of oil spill response and environmental protection in the country’s oil-producing regions

This followed a bold step toward international partnership following a strategic engagement meeting with the European Union (EU) Delegation, held at the EU office.

The meeting led by the Director General of NOSDRA, Chukwuemeka Woke, focused on forging a strategic alliance with the EU to strengthen the agency’s institutional mandate.

“Priority areas for collaboration discussed during the meeting included the development of a robust environmental impact assessment and remediation framework for artisanal refining sites, the deployment of in-situ oil spill response equipment and tools, and the enhancement of human capacity through structured training and retraining initiatives.

“This partnership is essential to tackling persistent environmental threats particularly the challenges posed by illegal oil bunkering and artisanal refining which have devastated oil-producing communities across Nigeria.

“The main objective of this visit is to seek strategic collaboration with the EU to help escalate the challenges we face, particularly the issues of illegal bunkering and artisanal refineries. With the support of the Nigerian government and the European Union, we believe we can eliminate the suffering of people living in oil spill-impacted areas and attract stronger international commitment to environmental justice,” Woke said.

The NOSDRA DG noted that effective international collaboration would not only bring global attention to the environmental degradation in the Niger Delta and other oil-producing regions, but also drive impactful policy reforms and resource mobilisation needed for long-term remediation and sustainable development.

In response, the Acting Head of Delegation at the EU, Ruben Alba, welcomed the NOSDRA team and praised the agency for taking the initiative to engage with international partners.

He announced that the EU would establish a technical working group to review NOSDRA’s mandate and identify areas where the EU could provide meaningful support.

“We appreciate NOSDRA’s efforts and commitment to environmental protection. As a next step, we will establish a smaller committee to examine the agency’s mandate and determine how best we can contribute to its objectives,” Alba said.

EU officials at the meeting include Temitayo Omole, Programme Manager for Human Development, Tomasz Gawlik, Programme Officer for the Climate, Green and Digital Economy Section and Godfrey Ogbemudia, Programme Manager for Energy and Satellite Initiatives.

On the NOSDRA side, members of the agency’s management team were also present.

A detailed presentation was delivered by NOSDRA staff, outlining the agency’s core functions, the scale of environmental challenges caused by oil spills, and the critical need for technical and policy-based support from the EU to enhance environmental monitoring, emergency response capabilities, and regulatory enforcement.

The meeting concluded with both parties reaffirming their commitment to sustained dialogue and partnership.(NAN)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz