The enduring environmental, economic and social consequences of decades of oil production in the Niger Delta will come under international scrutiny on Friday as the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) CIFAL Nigeria, in collaboration with the University of Newcastle, Rivers State University (RSU) and the University of Surrey, United Kingdom, hosts a major international webinar.
The webinar, scheduled for September 25, 2026 at 9 a.m. West Africa Time will be hosted by CIFAL Nigeria-Rivers State University, is titled “Living with the Legacy of Oil Mining in Niger Delta.”
The session is the second in a three-part international webinar series examining the politics of energy security, resource wealth and the global transition from fossil fuels, with particular attention to the realities confronting resource-producing communities.
It is expected to explore the lasting impact of oil production on communities, livelihoods and the environment in the Niger Delta, while interrogating how political decisions and resource governance have shaped the future of oil-producing communities.
Ogoniland, one of the most prominent examples of the environmental and socio-economic consequences of oil extraction in the Niger Delta, will provide an important reference point for discussions on the region’s oil legacy.
The organisers said the webinar would provide an opportunity to examine what happens to communities whose economies, livelihoods and social structures have been built around natural resource extraction, particularly as the global energy system begins to move away from fossil fuels.
The September session follows the first webinar, “The Long Goodbye,” hosted by CIFAL Newcastle on August 28, 2026 which examined the economic and social consequences of the decline or closure of mining and other resource-dependent industries, as well as possible pathways for affected communities to adapt.
The series will conclude on October 30 2026 with a session titled “Balancing Responsibility with Opportunity,” to be hosted by CIFAL Surrey, United Kingdom at 8 a.m.
The October discussion will focus on the difficult balance between energy security and climate action, including the roles of regulation, technological innovation and other measures in supporting sustainable energy futures.
The three-part initiative, titled “The Politics of Power: Energy Security, Resource Wealth, Global Energy Transition, The Long Goodbye, Living with the Legacy and Balancing Responsibility with Opportunity,” seeks to examine the economic, environmental, social and political dimensions of resource production and the transition away from fossil fuels.
It also draws comparative lessons from resource-producing communities across continents, particularly the Hunter Valley in Newcastle, Australia, and the Niger Delta in Nigeria and the roles of regulation and technology innovation of energy transition.
According to the organisers, the discussions are intended to deepen understanding of the choices facing governments and communities as the world confronts the competing demands of energy security, resource development, environmental responsibility and the transition to cleaner sources of energy.
The webinars will be moderated by the Director of CIFAL Nigeria, Mrs Ihuoma Njemanze, while participants will receive certificates of participation at the end of the three-part series.
The September 25 webinar is therefore expected to place the Niger Delta’s oil experience at the centre of a wider global conversation on what resource-rich communities inherit after decades of extraction, and how they can navigate an uncertain energy future.