A Niger Delta civil society coalition has issued a blistering ultimatum to oil giant Oando Plc, demanding the immediate payment of ₦8 billion allegedly owed to Indigenous Contractors—or face massive protest actions across Nigeria and beyond.
The Coalition for Equity in Resource Justice (CERJ), in a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, accused Oando of exploiting local contractors, delaying critical payments, and turning a blind eye to the suffering of communities that have long borne the brunt of Nigeria’s oil wealth.
“We are done with polite reminders. We are not beggars. This is justice delayed and dignity denied,” said Comrade Tari Efemena, Executive Director of CERJ.
“Oando has built its empire on the sweat and soil of Niger Delta communities. Now it must honour its debt or prepare for nationwide and international picketing.”
CERJ claims the ₦8bn in question stems from long-standing contracts awarded to local service providers and host community contractors—many of whom have since defaulted on loans, lost assets, or closed shop due to non-payment by the oil firm.
“You can’t owe a man his lifeline and still ask him to stay calm. That’s corporate wickedness disguised as delay tactics,” Efemena added.
The group is demanding that Oando settle the debt within one week or risk peaceful demonstrations at its offices in Lagos, Abuja, and London.
CERJ also urged the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to compel compliance, warning that inaction would embolden other oil multinationals to default on their obligations to local communities.
“This is not just a contract issue. It’s a test of Nigeria’s regulatory backbone and moral conscience,” the statement added.
Beyond the balance sheets and boardrooms, CERJ paints a picture of broken families, shuttered businesses, and environmental devastation left in the wake of oil extraction.
“The people who built the roads, cleared the pipelines, secured the operations—they are being abandoned while profits soar. This is robbery with a fountain pen,” the group declared.
As tensions rise, the group warns that the next wave of Niger Delta activism may not come with warning letters—but with court actions, mass mobilisation, and global attention.
Oando Plc has yet to respond to the allegations.