The World Water Council has condemned attacks on water facilities and reiterates obligations under international law.
According to corroborating reports, drinking water production facilities for civilian use have been targeted in recent hours in the Middle East.
The World Water Council expresses its deep concern over these reports.
President of the World Water Council, Loïc Fauchon
In accordance with the jurisprudence of international courts, and under the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols:
“It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove, or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as foodstuffs, agricultural areas for the production of foodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations and supplies, and irrigation works […] ”
(Art. 54, Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, 1977)
Therefore, the World Water Council calls upon all parties to the conflict to fully respect their obligations under international law and to guarantee the protection of water and sanitation infrastructure, which is essential for the life of populations.
Access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation is a fundamental human right, indispensable for life and human dignity, according to the World Water Council.
Multimedia journalist and Climate Reality Leader, Kofi Adu Domfeh, has been honoured with the Excellence in Climate Journalism and Advocacy Award.
He was among several distinguished Ghanaians recognised at the 3rd Edition of the Ghana Development Awards 2026, held in Accra and organised by The Business Executive Group.
The citation accompanying the award commended Domfeh “for exceptional leadership, innovation, partnership and enduring commitment to advancing Ghana’s development, inspiring resilience, supporting socio-economic recovery, and sustaining national progress.”
Kofi Adu Domfeh
Domfeh has dedicated more than 15 years to reporting on environmental sustainability and climate change. A two-time winner of the Africa Climate Change and Environmental Reporting Awards (ACCER), his journalism across the continent has amplified the realities of climate change while influencing policy discussions on resilience-building through adaptation and mitigation strategies. His work has also highlighted emerging opportunities in climate solutions.
Through collaborations with organisations such as the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), the Africa Group of Negotiators on Climate Change, and the African Union’s TerrAfrica initiative, Domfeh has contributed to strengthening Africa’s climate narrative, advocating for greater recognition of the continent’s vulnerabilities and the need for developed nations to honour commitments on climate finance.
Currently, he serves as Head of the Science and Environment Desk at JoyNews, where he has been instrumental in launching and driving specialised programmes including the Climate Focus and Climate Evidence series. As a News Editor with the Multimedia Group on Luv FM and Nhyira FM, he leads teams in producing impactful environmental stories, particularly investigations into the devastation caused by illegal mining, widely known as galamsey, on forests, water bodies, land and biodiversity.
Domfeh also serves as Ghana Bureau Chief for Africa Climate Reports, a Pan-African online magazine dedicated to environmental sustainability and climate reporting.
He is a founding member of the Pan-African Media Alliance on Climate Change (PAMACC) and an active participant in the Africa Editors Climate Forum, where he contributes to strengthening climate journalism across the continent.
Beyond journalism, Domfeh is the founder of the Climate Livelihoods and Agriculture Platform (CLAPgh), an initiative focused on youth empowerment, environmental awareness, tree planting, and community engagement for sustainable development.
Reacting to the honour, Domfeh described the recognition as both humbling and motivating.
“The nomination for this award came as a surprise. But it is inspiring to know that people recognise the impact of the work we do, even from a small corner,” he said.
“I am currently at a stage where my focus is on empowering others, particularly young journalists, to excel. This recognition will only encourage me to stay on course because the reality of climate change surrounds us and the impact is real. Everyone must take responsibility and contribute to climate action.”
Kofi Adu Domfeh also serves as the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has again increased the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N1,175 per litre.
This marked the third upward adjustment in petrol prices within seven days.
The latest revision, communicated to marketers and depot operators on Monday, March 9, 2026, raises the ex-depot price from N995 per litre (announced on Friday) by N180, representing an 18.1 per cent surge in three days.
Petrol
According to available information, the refinery also adjusted the gantry price of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) to N1,620 per litre.
The fresh hike follows earlier adjustments that lifted gantry prices from N774 to N995 per litre last week.
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) and the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) have entered into a partnership to strengthen bioscience education, ensure public confidence in the use of modern technology.
The partnership was established at the Train-the-Trainers Capacity Building Programme on Biosafety, Biosecurity, Biorisk Management, Waste Management, and Community Engagement, organised in collaboration with the NOUN in Abuja on Monday, March 9, 2026.
Mr. Bello Bawa-Bwari, the Director-General (D-G) of NBMA, said that the training comes at a critical time when advances in biotechnology and life sciences are rapidly transforming research, agriculture, medicine, and environmental management.
Bello Bawa-Bwari, Director-General of National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA)
Bawa-Bwari, who was represented by Dr Agha Ukpai Agha, the Director of Biosecurity at NBMA, said: “The Train-the-Trainer model is particularly significant.”
According to him, the model equips participants with technical knowledge and skills to disseminate what was learnt within institutions, professional networks, and communities.
“While these innovations bring tremendous opportunities for national development, they also require robust systems that ensure safety, responsibility, and public confidence in the technologies being deployed.
“As the national regulatory authority responsible for biosafety and biosecurity in Nigeria, NBMA the remains firmly committed to strengthening national capacity to effectively manage potential biological risks.
“Over the next three days, participants will engage in insightful sessions covering biosafety principles, biosecurity practices, biorisk management systems, and effective community engagement strategies.
“These areas are essential for ensuring compliance with national regulations and international best practices, while also safeguarding public health, protecting the environment, and promoting responsible research and innovation,” Bawa-Bwari assured.
Prof. Uduma Uduma, the Vice-Chancellor NOUN, said that NBMA plays a vital regulatory and advisory role in ensuring that modern biotechnology practices are conducted safely, responsibly, and in accordance with international standards.
Uduma, who was represented by Prof. Christine Ofulue, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Technology, Innovation and Research at NOUN, said that the gathering represented more than a formal engagement between two national institutions.
“This occasion symbolises a strategic partnership built on shared values scientific integrity, environmental sustainability, public safety, and national development.
“NOUN, as the largest Open and Distance Learning institution in West Africa, is committed to expanding access to quality education while promoting research that addresses national priorities.
“In an era of rapidly advancing biotechnology, genetic research, and modern agricultural innovations, biosafety has become a critical national and global concern.
“Hence they help prevent harm to human health, protect biodiversity, and safeguard our ecosystems from unintended consequences,” he said.
Uduma added that the Agency’s commitment to safeguarding human health, biodiversity, and the environment aligns perfectly with NOUN’s academic mission.
“As a university that is committed to flexible learning, NOUN is well-positioned to support nationwide awareness through online courses, professional development programmes, and community engagement initiatives.
“Together, we can bridge the knowledge gap and empower scientists, regulators, farmers, and students with accurate information about biosafety practices.
“Biotechnology holds immense promise for food security, healthcare advancement, and environmental sustainability.
“We are prepared to deploy our academic expertise, research infrastructure, and nationwide study centres to support joint initiatives that will strengthen biosafety and biosecurity governance in Nigeria,” the V-C said.
Prof. Andrew Agbon, the Chairman of the Joint Working Group for the training, said that, to fulfill the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was signed between NOUN and NBMA on Oct. 29, 2025, it is pertinent for both institutions to know that the MoU is to establish a collaborative framework.
He said that the workshop would enhance the capacity of NOUN students, academic staff and NBMA staff through faculty internship opportunities, professional development programmes and joint initiatives of biosecurity and biosecurity.
Agbon said that the workshop objectives would create institutional capacity environment safety and security, waste management, and pollution control, other service assessments, community engagement and curriculum development.
“For us in NOUN, we need this capacity to help us strengthen the quality of training we give to our students all around the country,” he said.
On Thursday, March 5, 2026, the Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE) hosted a project workshop focused on zero waste ambassadors and capacity building for those involved in the waste management sector in Lagos State.
The workshop is part of the Multi-solving Action to Methane Reduction in Nigeria (MAMRN). During the event at the Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ms. Victoria Aghaji, the Senior Programmes Manager of PAVE and Project Officer for the MAMRN project, spoke on behalf of PAVE’s President, Mr. Anthony Akpan. She emphasised that the initiative aims to instill the importance of systematic waste reduction right from the source, hence promoting the zero-waste concept.
Participants at the PAVE project workshop on zero waste ambassadors
Ms. Aghaji highlighted the workshop’s relevance in addressing climate change impacts. The session, titled “A One Day Awareness and Capacity Building Workshop for Households in Ikorodu North LCDA on Organic Waste Management to Reduce Methane Emission,” stressed the significance of waste segregation to ensure nothing goes to waste.
“Created as a collaborative effort involving multiple stakeholders, MAMRN seeks to address methane emissions from organic waste by implementing community-driven, data-informed zero-waste strategies. This project highlights the crucial role of methane as a short-lived climate pollutant, emphasising the urgent need to reduce emissions through practical, inclusive, and scalable waste management solutions,” Ms. Aghaji explained.
The MAMRN project, funded by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and the Green Knowledge Foundation (GKF), unites a consortium of Nigerian organisations.
Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of various groups including the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) represented by Ms. Ogundero Adeola Christiana of the LASEPA Zonal office, Ikorodu I & II, who reiterated their enforcement roles in the protection of the environment.
Mr. Ismail Mutiu, Assistant Director, Waste-to-Energy Unit of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), in his goodwill message noted the importance of establishing a solid foundation to harness the waste management value chain for economic growth and development. He mentioned that the training would significantly contribute to reducing emissions.
Additionally, Prince Adeniran Ogunbanwo, the CDC Chairman of Ikorodu North LCDA, expressed his enthusiasm for the workshop.
Participants at the workshop thanked PAVE for bringing the awareness to the LCDA and pledged their commitment in the practical deployment of learnings from the workshop.
The workshop was facilitated by Mr. Philip Jakpor, Executive Director of the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI).
The Multi-Solving Action to Methane Reduction in Nigeria project represents a transformative step in environmental landscape.
The workshop was hosted in Lagos with both in-person and remote participation, effectively launching the project’s second phase.
Natural bitumen, a dense, viscous, semi-solid form of petroleum composed of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, asphaltenes, resins, sulphur compounds, and trace metals constitutes a globally significant unconventional hydrocarbon resource. Nigeria’s bitumen reserves, estimated at 42.47 billion metric tons in situ, are concentrated within the sedimentary sequences of the East Dahomey (Benin) Basin in south-western Nigeria, principally within Ondo, Ogun, Lagos, and Edo states.
Ondo State alone is reported to host the world’s second-largest bitumen deposit, with a projected market value of approximately US$17 trillion. In Canadian dollar equivalents, the Alberta oil sands, the world’s largest oil sands deposit generates approximately CAN$9–10 billion annually in economic output, underscoring the transformative potential of the Nigerian reserves if responsibly developed.
Bitumen mining
Ondo State’s bitumen belt exhibits analogous characteristics: abundant resource wealth coexisting with socioeconomic marginalisation, environmental degradation, and institutional inertia. Surface-level seepages are a common phenomenon in the southern part of the state, serving as a visible indicator of the substantial reserves beneath.
Research confirms the presence of bitumen reserves across six blocks in several Local Government Areas (LGAs), including Odigbo, Irele, and Okitipupa. Specific communities where bitumen seepages have been identified and studied include Ode-Irele and Agbabu.
Geographic Distribution
The Nigerian bitumen belt is hosted within Cretaceous terrigenous sediments of the East Dahomey Basin. Within Ondo State, hydrocarbon-bearing strata occur in two principal sandy units: Horizon Y (3–26 m thick, fine-to-medium quartz sand, mean oil saturation ~12%) and the overlying Horizon X (10–22 m, sandstone–shale interbeds).
The low clay content of these units (2–7%) facilitates upward hydraulic migration of bituminous fluids through faults and fractures, generating the surface seepages documented across communities including Ode-Irele, Agbabu, Ludasa, and Idioilayo. Seepage induces measurable alteration of near-surface soil properties: research at Agbabu demonstrates significantly reduced hydraulic conductivity and increased bulk density in bitumen-impregnated soil horizons relative to unimpacted controls, with direct implications for agricultural productivity and groundwater recharge.
Multi-temporal satellite imagery analysis and GIS delineation confirm the areal concentration of bitumen deposition across six prospecting blocks in three principal LGAs: Irele (~940.5 km²), Odigbo (~609.2 km²), and Okitipupa (~590.4 km²). The technique validated extensively for hydrocarbon contamination mapping via spectral reflectance differentiation of impregnated vs. uncontaminated soils further reveals a progressive expansion of seepage extent in Ludasa and Idioilayo communities over the 30-year period 1991-2021. This temporal trajectory is consistent with ongoing geogenic hydrocarbon migration, potentially amplified by exploratory disturbance creating preferential upward migration conduits.
Environmental and Public Health Implications
Natural bitumen is a chemically complex matrix that mobilises a suite of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) into surrounding soil via leaching, volatilisation, and physical incorporation during seepage events. A 2025 geochemical study at seepage and exploration sites in Ode-Irele, employing atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) on composite soil samples, documented concentrations of nine PTEs including manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) that exceeded FEPA (1991) permissible thresholds at both site categories.
The lead concentration at exploration sites (290.00 ± 56.60 mg/kg) is particularly concerning. Global soil contamination analyses at 796,084 sampling points classify lead enrichment above 200 mg/kg as severe contamination with high potential for food chain infiltration and non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risk. Heavy metal accumulation in soil concurrently reduces pore connectivity and water-holding capacity, diminishing soil fertility and agricultural output, effects documented for chromium, cadmium, nickel, copper, and zinc at concentrations analogous to those measured at Ode-Irele.
Bitumen is a primary environmental source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – fused aromatic ring compounds produced during incomplete thermal decomposition of organic matter. PAHs are genotoxic and carcinogenic, classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as Group 1 and Group 2A carcinogens. Prior studies at Agbabu, Ondo State, detected total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and elevated PAH profiles in both soil and water samples consistent with geogenic petroleum-source contamination.
Research in Odigbo and Irele LGAs documents contamination of both surface and groundwater resources utilised by host communities as primary potable water sources. Manganese, iron, copper, zinc, chromium, cadmium, nickel, vanadium, and arsenic have been measured in wells and streams at concentrations exceeding FEPA and WHO drinking water guideline values.
Total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in wells at Ludasa have been recorded as high as 1,480 mg/L which far exceed environmental safety thresholds. A particularly hazardous hydrological phenomenon observed in the area is the post-rainfall formation of bitumen films on stream surfaces, which physically impede atmospheric oxygen exchange, suppress aquatic biodiversity, depress benthic invertebrate communities, and reduce the water body’s self-purification capacity.
Socio-Economic Impact on Resident Communities
While bitumen deposits represent a significant economic resource, exploration activities have not translated into improved livelihoods for local residents. A comprehensive study on the socio-economic effects of bitumen exploration in Southern Ondo State revealed a starkly negative picture.
This is evidence of the “resource curse”, being the empirically documented tendency for resource-abundant territories to exhibit greater poverty, weaker institutional performance, and lower economic growth than resource-poor counterparts.
A comprehensive socio-economic impact study across nine communities in Odigbo, Irele, and Okitipupa LGAs found that many residents subsist on a mean daily income of approximately US$0.67 (₦1,139) – only 31% of the World Bank’s international extreme poverty threshold of US$2.15 per day. Statistical analysis confirmed a significant negative association between bitumen exploration activities and community well-being, implying that exploration has not yielded positive livelihood outcomes for host populations.
This is consistent with the broader Nigerian experience: despite oil accounting for 95% of export earnings and 90% of government revenue over the past six decades, over 70% of Nigeria’s population lives below the poverty line, and 90% of oil revenue has historically accrued to just 1% of the population.
Adepoju et al. (2025), in the most recent peer-reviewed assessment of the Ondo State bitumen paradox, describe Agbabu, one of the most prominent bitumen communities as “socioeconomically disadvantaged,” with residents’ livelihoods dependent on subsistence farming, fishing, and tree logging in an environment visibly affected by bitumen’s environmental footprint. Research confirms that current levels of bitumen development, with BCE Greensands Nigeria Limited identified as the only active mining company in Ondo State, “have brought no change to the development of a sustainable economy in Nigeria”.
Bitumen-induced soil modification directly undermines agricultural viability: elevated bulk density and reduced hydraulic conductivity impair root penetration, drainage, and moisture availability, while elevated heavy metal concentrations in soil translate into phytotoxic conditions and measurable bioaccumulation in plant tissues.
Studies on soil–plant transfer of Mn, Zn, Cu, and Fe at bitumen-contaminated sites in the region document concentrations in edible plant parts significantly elevated relative to uncontaminated controls, constituting a dietary exposure pathway for heavy metals in dependent communities.
A critical enabling factor in the perpetuation of environmental harm without community benefit is the inadequacy of Nigeria’s regulatory framework as applied to bitumen exploration. Analysis of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Act and NESREA Act has identified structural lapses that permit exploratory activity to proceed without mandatory baseline environmental assessments, community consultation, or legally enforceable remediation obligations.
Conclusion
Ondo State’s natural bitumen belt represents a resource of unparalleled economic potential. However, the scientific evidence discussed in this article reveals that the current governance paradigm characterised by uncontrolled geogenic seepage, exploratory soil disturbance, regulatory inaction, and structural exclusion of host communities from resource revenues is generating a multidimensional crisis of environmental contamination and socio-economic marginalisation.
Heavy metal concentrations exceeding regulatory thresholds, progressive expansion of surface seepage over three decades, degradation of water resources on which vulnerable populations depend, and community incomes at one-third of the extreme poverty line collectively constitute an obvious case of environmental injustice that demands urgent, evidence-based intervention.
By Sasere Omolade Victoria, Nigerian Environmental Study Action Team (NEST), Ibadan, Nigeria
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has been officially designated a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention, recognising the ecological significance of its campus landscape and its contribution to global biodiversity, water security, and climate resilience.
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty dedicated to the conservation and wise use of wetlands. IITA’s inclusion in the Ramsar List places its campus among globally recognised sites that are critical for maintaining ecological balance and supporting sustainable development.
IITA, Ibadan
Located in Ibadan, Nigeria, the IITA campus encompasses a unique wetland ecosystem that supports diverse plant and animal species, regulates water systems, and contributes to climate mitigation. The designation highlights the global environmental value of the site and reinforces IITA’s long-standing commitment to responsible land stewardship.
Ramsar wetland sites are designated based on nine criteria regarding their international significance in ecology, botany, zoology, limnology, or hydrology. Sites must represent rare/unique wetlands or support vulnerable species, critical life stages, or substantial waterbird/fish populations.
At least one criterion must be met to achieve designation. The Government of Nigeria designated IITA as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. The designation underscores Nigeria’s commitment to the conservation and sustainable management of wetlands in line with global environmental standards.
“This recognition reflects the ecological importance of our campus and strengthens our responsibility to manage it sustainably,” said Dr Simeon Ehui, Director General of IITA and Regional Director for Africa of CGIAR. “As a leading agricultural research institution, we are proud to demonstrate that scientific innovation and environmental conservation can coexist. The Ramsar designation affirms our commitment to advancing food systems transformation while protecting vital ecosystems.”
For almost six decades, IITA has conducted agricultural research aimed at improving food security, reducing poverty, and enhancing livelihoods across Africa. The Ramsar designation underscores the Institute’s integrated approach – where agricultural innovation operates within a protected natural landscape that supports biodiversity and climate resilience.
As a Ramsar site, IITA will continue to strengthen wetland management practices, biodiversity monitoring, and sustainable land-use planning across its campus. The Institute also aims to expand partnerships with environmental organisations, research institutions, policymakers, and development partners to advance conservation and nature-based solutions.
The designation presents new opportunities for collaboration in areas such as:
Wetland conservation and restoration
Climate-smart agriculture
Biodiversity research and conservation
Water resource management
Nature-based climate solutions
By aligning agricultural research with global environmental standards, IITA says it reinforces its position as a leader in sustainable development and ecosystem stewardship in Africa.
A concerning pattern across Nigeria and much of Africa is the belief among many government spokespersons that governance communication is public relations (PR), often laced with denial, half-truths, or outright propaganda. For many of them, their primary responsibility is to promote and defend the government at all costs.
This thinking is precisely where communication crises begin.
Governance communication is not about selling an image. It is about informing citizens, fostering transparency, explaining policies, facilitating dialogue, and strengthening institutional accountability.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris
When communication is reduced to promotion and image management, democracy suffers. Public trust erodes, and citizens are treated as audiences to be persuaded rather than stakeholders to be engaged.
Once those entrusted with communicating governance begin to see themselves as brand managers, the focus shifts from empowering citizens with information to managing perception. That is a dangerous path and often a recipe for systemic failure.
In reality, many policy failures and development setbacks in government are not merely governance failures; they are communication failures.
In the last three months, I have had the opportunity to engage with more than 20 senior government officials in Nigeria, including political office holders, political appointees, and top public servants. These discussions revealed.
For many politicians, communication means finding individuals who can aggressively defend the government, attack the opposition, and absorb public anger, even if it requires distortion or denial.
Among many public servants, communication is still largely seen as public relations, issuing statements, managing media narratives, and projecting positive images.
What is missing in both perspectives is a fundamental understanding that communication in governance should be about dialogue, negotiation, citizen engagement, and empowerment.
This misunderstanding partly explains why governments often struggle to communicate policies effectively or build public trust around development programmes.
There is an urgent need to rethink how governance communication is understood and practiced.
We need a new generation of communication professionals who understand that communication is not merely publicity, branding, or social media activity. It is a strategic process of building trust, facilitating participation, and enabling citizens to engage meaningfully with governance.
In earlier times, when access to information was limited, denial and propaganda could sometimes succeed in shaping public perception. But in today’s information age, where citizens have unprecedented access to information, such approaches are no longer sustainable.
Modern governance communication must be built on truth, transparency, accountability, and sincerity.
Without these principles, communication will continue to deepen distrust between governments and citizens.
If the current pattern continues, the problem will not simply be a failure of political leadership, but also a failure of communication practice itself.
Because communication, when properly understood and practiced, is not merely the exchange of information, it is a foundation for development.
Dr. Audu Liberty Oseni is Director, Centre for Development Communication
Three environmental justice organisations have launched a High Court challenge to the environmental authorisation granted for Eskom’s proposed Nuclear-1 power station, arguing that the approval was granted in breach of mandatory requirements of South Africa’s environmental impact assessment laws. The proposed 4,000 MW project would be built at Duynefontein next to the existing Koeberg nuclear power station near Cape Town.
The Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI), Greenpeace Africa and Earthlife Africa Johannesburg describe Nuclear-1 as a “zombie” nuclear project, revived nearly two decades after the environmental approval process first began in 2007. The environmental authorisation was granted in 2017, and appeals against it were only dismissed in 2025, after an unusually prolonged appeal process.
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa
The organisations are concerned that nuclear projects of this scale could involve capital commitments running into the hundreds of billions of rand and potentially exceeding one trillion rand, depending on technology choices, construction costs and financing arrangements, with possible implications for electricity tariffs and taxpayers.
The application challenges both the 2017 decision by the Chief Director: Integrated Environment Authorisations, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the environment to grant Eskom the environmental authorisation for the project as well as the 2025 decision by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment dismissing appeals against that approval.
The organisations argue that the environmental authorisation was granted in circumstances where mandatory requirements of South Africa’s environmental impact assessment laws were not properly complied with.
The review application is based on several grounds, including the following:
The organisations contend that decision-makers did not conduct a proper project-specific assessment of whether constructing the proposed nuclear power station at Duynefontein was necessary or desirable, relying primarily on national electricity planning policy rather than conducting the required project-specific need and desirability assessment.
The organisations argue that renewable energy technologies were not properly assessed as alternatives to the proposed nuclear power station. The environmental assessment relied on outdated assumptions about electricity demand, energy costs and the need for nuclear “base-load” power, and did not adequately consider developments in renewable energy and battery energy storage systems. According to the organisations, electricity supply needs can be met through combinations of renewable generation – such as solar and wind – supported by energy storage technologies.
The organisations contend that the option of not proceeding with the project was not meaningfully evaluated during the environmental assessment process, as required by environmental law.
The organisations argue that the environmental assessment did not adequately evaluate the potential environmental, health and socio-economic consequences of a catastrophic nuclear incident involving the uncontrolled release of radiation.
SAFCEI’s Executive Director, Francesca de Gasparis, said: “The granting of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the Duynefontein site seventeen years after it was originally submitted is a resurrection of a nuclear energy plan that should have been shelved more than a decade ago, in 2017, when it was originally appealed by our three organisations. What we are witnessing now is a ‘zombie’ revival of that same plan – without transparency, proper parliamentary oversight, economic justification, or meaningful public participation.”
Cynthia Moyo, Greenpeace Africa’s Climate & Energy Campaigner, emphasised: “It is fundamentally unjust to saddle South Africans and future generations with the financial risk, radioactive waste and catastrophic accident potential of a massive nuclear project when safer, quicker and more affordable renewable energy options are available today. South Africa is in the midst of a climate and economic crisis and pushing ahead with nuclear without fully accounting for its long-term impacts is reckless and irresponsible.
“Climate justice means protecting communities from unnecessary risk and debt, not locking the country into decades of costly infrastructure that benefits the few while burdening the many. This case is about drawing a clear line, our energy future must be safe, equitable and aligned with the constitutional right to a healthy environment for present and future generations.”
Lesai Seema, Director of Cullinan and Associates, said: “We are delighted to support these organisations in ensuring that decisions with long-term consequences for millions of South Africans are taken in accordance with the law. A commitment to spend billions of rands on nuclear power plants is one that must comply with national legislation and reckon honestly with its environmental, social and economic consequences for present and future generations.”
The organisations are asking the High Court to declare the environmental authorisation and the Minister’s appeal decision unlawful and to set them aside.
Following service of the founding affidavit, the case is now a matter of public record.
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Lagos-based environmental non-governmental organisation, has appointed Kunle Olawoyin as the new Director of Communications, Policy and Advocacy, effective March 2, 2026.
Olawoyin, who has previously served as Head of the Media and Public Affairs Unit at NCF from 2009 to 2015, will lead NCF’s communication, policy and advocacy agenda in support of the organisation 2025-2030 strategy. He will work with various teams to strengthen NCF’s public voice, influence environmental policy outcomes, shape national and continental narratives on climate change, biodiversity conservation and environmental pollution.
Kunle Olawoyin
Olawoyin is a seasoned communications and advocacy expert with a demonstrated history of managing strategic campaigns, influencing policy and advocacy at national and international levels. A trained journalist, he started his career as a cub reporter with Rhythm 93.7 FM. He has also worked with National Interest Newspapers, and National Mirror Newspapers where he gained hands-on experience in reporting, editing, and news production.
Prior to this new appointment, he has served as Media and Communications Officer at Oxfam GB and Oxfam International, before joining Save the Children International, where he held key roles including Media and Communications Manager for Nigeria, Regional Media and Communications Manager for West and Central Africa, and most recently, Media Manager at the Global Media Unit of the world leading child rights organisation.
His work has strengthened the visibility and impact of organizations he has served, and his expertise will now be leveraged to position NCF as a credible thought leader and partner in environmental conservation across Nigeria and Africa.
Olawoyin holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, a master’s degree in communication studies from Lagos State University, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the National Open University of Nigeria, and a Master of Laws (LLM) from Nasarawa State University, Keffi. He also holds certificates in Advanced Writing and Reporting from Pan-Atlantic University among other professional certifications.
Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director General of NCF, said: “I have no doubt about Olawoyin’s capacity to deliver on this new challenge because of his depth of experience in communications, advocacy, and campaigns, combined with his prior knowledge of NCF.
“NCF, as the leader in environmental conservation in Nigeria, is at the stage where we need more committed and high skilled individuals to increase the visibility of our impacts, strengthening our public engagements and policy influencing across boards.”
