Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her polices of the governance framework for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector established under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan; and whether she has raised this framework with Shell plc in discussions on its prospective onshore operations in the Niger Delta.

We continue to raise with Shell, including at Ministerial level, the importance of action to address the risks of pollution from oil production in the Niger Delta, in line with international standards. The regulation of companies within Nigeria and the governance framework for the oil and gas sectors are, however, matters for the Government of Nigeria. The UK therefore encourages a coordinated effort between the Nigerian Government, oil and gas companies, and local communities to bring an end to all forms of oil contamination in Nigeria.

The Gulf of Guinea remains an important global energy-producing region, and the UK is committed to supporting Nigeria to realise its energy transition ambitions.