One of the biggest threats in the Niger Delta is invisible. Petrochemical contaminants seep into the ground and travel through underground water systems, silently polluting the drinking water that communities depend on. By the time the damage is visible, it has often been spreading for years.
We use specialised groundwater simulation software, including MODFLOW and SWAT, to build detailed models of how pollutants move through these systems. These models allow us to predict where contamination will spread, how fast it will travel, and which communities are most at risk.
This work has already produced real results. Our mapping studies have identified three high-risk contamination zones in the Niger Delta that had never been documented before. That data is now being used to inform local water safety planning and has been shared with government agencies working on environmental remediation.

Not all pollutants are created equal. Some break down quickly and pose limited long-term risk. Others accumulate in soil, water, and living organisms over time, creating health hazards that build slowly and persist for generations.

We use predictive toxicology tools like EPA TEST and ADMET to evaluate the bio-accumulation risk of industrial pollutants found in Niger Delta ecosystems. This means we can assess not just whether a chemical is present, but how dangerous it actually is, how it behaves over time, and what the long-term consequences might be for local residents and wildlife.

This kind of analysis is critical because it turns raw environmental data into something decision-makers can act on. It is the difference between knowing there is pollution and understanding exactly what that pollution is doing to people’s health.

Environmental safety is not just about studying problems. It is also about preventing them. We work with organisations across the oil and gas sector to help them meet international environmental management standards, including ISO 14001.

Our team provides guidance on implementing Environmental Management Systems (EMS), integrating health, safety, and environment protocols like ERA EHS and INTELEX, and building a culture of environmental responsibility into everyday operations.

The goal is straightforward: make sure that industrial activity in the Niger Delta follows the same environmental rules that would be expected anywhere else in the world.

Environmental data can be overwhelming. Charts, chemical names, parts-per-million readings, simulation outputs. For most people, it might as well be another language. That is exactly the problem we set out to solve.
We take the complex data generated by our environmental research and translate it into formats that communities can actually use. We teach people how to read water quality reports, what contamination levels mean in practical terms, and how to raise concerns with local authorities using evidence rather than guesswork.
The result is communities that are not just aware of environmental risks, but are equipped to act on them. When a village elder can walk into a government office with data showing exactly what is in the local water supply, the conversation changes completely.

We design and run educational workshops tailored to the specific needs of the communities we work with. These are not lectures delivered from a distance. They are hands-on, participatory sessions built around the real environmental challenges that participants face every day.

Our workshops cover topics including water safety and contamination awareness, understanding environmental data and reports, renewable energy basics and waste management, how to engage with government agencies and environmental regulators, and the rights of communities under Nigerian environmental law.

This kind of analysis is critical because it turns raw environmental data into something decision-makers can act on. It is the difference between knowing there is pollution and understanding exactly what that pollution is doing to people’s health.

Not everyone can attend a workshop, so we also run public awareness campaigns that reach people where they are. These campaigns use simple, accessible language to explain the importance of renewable energy adoption, proper waste management, and environmental rights.

We produce printed guides and factsheets designed for communities with limited internet access. We work with local radio stations and community leaders to spread the word. And we create digital content for social media that makes environmental science approachable and shareable.

The goal is always the same: make sure that nobody in the Niger Delta is left in the dark about what is happening to their environment, and give them the confidence to demand better.

We translate our research findings into clear, actionable policy briefs that are written for policymakers, not academics. When we identify a contamination risk, we don’t just publish the data. We package it with recommendations, present it to the relevant government agencies, and follow up to make sure it gets the attention it deserves.
This approach has already produced tangible results. Our policy briefs have been cited by five industry regulatory bodies, and our work contributed to a landmark policy evaluation that helped redirect over £1 million in government funding toward evidence-based environmental interventions. We don’t claim to have done that alone, but we know that the evidence we provided was part of what made it happen.

The people of the Niger Delta have lived with the consequences of industrial pollution for decades, often with little say in the decisions that caused it. We believe that environmental protection is a matter of justice, not just science.

Our advocacy work pushes for a simple principle: industrial growth should never come at the cost of human rights. Communities should have a voice in decisions that affect their environment. Polluters should be held accountable. And the benefits of Nigeria’s natural resources should be shared fairly, not concentrated among those with the most power.

Led by our policy research team, we champion environmental justice in every policy brief we write, every stakeholder meeting we attend, and every partnership we form.

We know that systemic change requires more than one organisation. That is why we actively build partnerships with government agencies, international development organisations, academic institutions, and community groups.

These partnerships allow us to scale our research, amplify our policy recommendations, and connect local communities with the resources and support they need. When we work with a government agency, we bring the science. When we work with a community group, we bring the evidence that strengthens their voice. When we work with an international donor, we bring the track record that shows our approach delivers results.

If you are an organisation that shares our commitment to environmental protection and community rights, we would love to hear from you.

Nigeria’s economy is deeply tied to oil and gas, but the future does not have to look like the past. We are actively researching how renewable energy sources like solar and wind can be integrated into existing petrochemical infrastructure, making the transition to cleaner energy practical rather than theoretical.
This work is supported by a $25,000 grant from our IOC partners, funding a 24-month study that uses advanced optimisation tools (OR-tools) to simulate how renewable energy grids could operate alongside traditional power systems. The goal is not to replace the oil and gas industry overnight, but to find realistic pathways for cleaner energy that work within the realities of Nigeria’s economy and infrastructure.

The environmental impact of the oil and gas industry does not begin and end at the wellhead. The logistics, procurement, and supply chain operations that support the sector produce enormous amounts of carbon emissions, much of it avoidable.

Our team built a Python-based logistics optimisation model that analysed routing and procurement patterns across 12 oil and gas supply corridors. The results were striking: we identified an estimated 2,400 tonnes of excess CO₂ being produced every year through inefficient routing alone. That is carbon that could be eliminated without shutting down a single operation.

We have also developed a green procurement decision framework that has been adopted by three partner organisations, and is projected to reduce supply chain carbon emissions by 18% over 24 months. A multi-stakeholder study across 35 firms produced a policy brief on green supply chain outsourcing that was cited by two industry regulatory bodies.

We use tools like Python, Power BI, R, and SPSS to analyse social and environmental trends, looking for patterns that can help us predict future challenges before they become crises. This kind of forward-looking analysis is what separates reactive environmental work from proactive environmental protection. By the time contamination is visible to the naked eye, the damage has often been building for years. Our data science work aims to spot the warning signs early, giving communities and policymakers the time they need to act.

Publications Our research is published in peer-reviewed journals and shared openly. Visit our Publications page to explore our full catalogue of papers, policy briefs, and technical reports. View All Publications