Amnesty Report Alleges Shell Neglected Niger Delta Infrastructure

A coalition of human rights and environmental organizations led by Amnesty International released a report on July 29, 2026, alleging a massive pollution scandal involving Shell in the Niger Delta. Titled "Nigeria: Lifting the Lid," the report utilizes internal emails, engineering audits, and confidential reviews from 2008 to 2014 that were disclosed during legal proceedings in the United Kingdom.

The findings claim Shell neglected critical infrastructure, including an old pipeline described as "a basket," and failed to account for hundreds of oil wells. Internal documents reportedly show the company recognized widespread pipeline deterioration and an estimated 375 square kilometers of polluted mangrove forest, with decommissioning liabilities for onshore assets reaching approximately US$10.9 billion. The coalition further alleges that Shell allowed illegal oil taps to remain to avoid system downtime and used the 2025 sale of its onshore subsidiary, Shell Petroleum Development Company, to Renaissance Africa Energy to escape these liabilities.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc rejected the report's findings, stating the portrayal is not one it recognizes. The company argued that the report ignores the challenging operating environment in the Niger Delta, where sabotage, oil theft, and illegal refining cause significant damage to facilities.