The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has highlighted its community-led mangrove restoration initiative in Ogoniland as a model for large-scale ecological recovery, showcasing unprecedented gains in efforts to rehabilitate oil-degraded environments.
At a send-off ceremony in honour of Prof Francis Sikoki and Aduabobo Hart of the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Port Harcourt, HYPREP Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, said the restoration effort, now regarded as the world’s most extensive mangrove rehabilitation programme.
The report noted that it demonstrates the transformative impact of community participation in environmental management.
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Prof. Zabbey disclosed that 90 women and youths initially trained in mangrove nursery management have since trained an additional 305 persons, culminating in the establishment of multiple nurseries across Ogoniland and the production of 6.5 million mangrove seedlings.
According to him, the initiative proves that local communities possess the capacity to drive ecosystem restoration across the entire Niger Delta.
He emphasised that the Ogoni Clean-up remains community-centred, with local residents leading restoration processes and shaping outcomes.
Beyond mangrove recovery, he said HYPREP is committed to fostering collaborative, data-driven research to inform policy and strengthen climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Addressing the broader implications of climate change, Zabbey called for intensified ecological research to support community resilience and sustainable environmental management.
He invited students and researchers to take advantage of HYPREP’s internship and sabbatical programmes, which provide hands-on field experience aligned with the Project’s thematic areas.
The PC also acknowledged HYPREP’s milestone achievements and paid tribute to the celebrants, noting that the mentorship he received from them as a young researcher at the University of Port Harcourt laid the foundation for his work on the Ogoni Clean-up Programme.
