Nigeria moves to stem Niger Delta unrest

The federal government of Nigeria released plans for development of the Niger Delta region on Sunday, following renewed threats of violence from the Niger Delta Avengers.

The government has received 35 applications for modular refinery licences in the region and is considering granting 13, according to the statement.

“Two out of these 13 refineries are almost ready for shipment. Consideration for Customs duty waiver and some form of tax holiday are also underway,” the senior special assistant to the vice-president on media and publicity, Laolu Akande, said in the statement.

The plans also include an increased budgetary allotment for the Niger Delta Ministry and the Niger Delta Development Commission, the startup of Maritime University and beginning the Ogoni clean-up. The statement also proposed infrastructure investments such as the Bonny-Bodo Road and Ibaka deep-sea port.

The Niger Delta Avengers called off their year-long ceasefire earlier in the month. Over the several months of its previous “Operation Red Economy” campaign, militants attacked oil facilities of Chevron, Shell and ExxonMobil, lowering Nigeria’s oil production to 1.4 million bopd in May 2016. In response, the government has been holding negotiations with the Pan-Nigeria Delta Forum, resulting in the government pledging a series of measures, including modular refineries, in August 2017.