A United Nations panel has accused four major oil companies—Shell, ExxonMobil, Eni, and TotalEnergies—of violating their human rights obligations by divesting from Nigeria without addressing decades of environmental damage in the Niger Delta. The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights said the firms ignored international law by offloading assets while leaving behind clean-up obligations. This move is characterized as an attempt to avoid billions in environmental remediation costs, passing the financial burden to the new asset owners who cannot afford it. Oil spills have long devastated farming and fishing livelihoods in the region, with remediation in just one state estimated at over $12 billion. The shocking allegations highlight a critical accountability gap, leaving polluted regions without recourse and setting a dangerous precedent for corporate responsibility.
SEMAFOR
