Senate Plans Heavier Fines, Criminal Penalties For Oil Spills

The Senate has passed a bill seeking to empower the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to impose heavier fines and introduce criminal penalties for violations of environmental laws in the petroleum sector.

The bill, titled the “National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed after the Senate considered and adopted the report of its Committee on Environment during plenary, yesterday.

The proposed legislation seeks to amend the NOSDRA Establishment Act, 2006, to provide statutory powers for the agency to impose adequate fines and introduce criminal offences and penalties to ensure compliance with existing environmental laws in the petroleum sector.

Presenting the committee’s report on behalf of its chairman, Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi Oluwole, Senate chief whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, said the amendment was designed to address persistent environmental degradation in the Niger Delta and other oil-producing communities.

Monguno, who represents Borno North Senatorial District, said oil spills and pollution had continued to damage the environment and deprive residents of their livelihoods, particularly those dependent on fishing and farming.He argued that the existing penalties were insufficient to deter environmental violations, making stronger sanctions necessary to improve compliance with environmental regulations.

“The fines are not deterrent enough to deter offenders,” Monguno told the Senate while explaining the rationale behind the proposed amendment.

He added that the bill would introduce criminal liability for oil spills that caused environmental damage and deprived affected communities of their means of livelihood.

According to him, the proposed amendment was intended to strengthen accountability and ensure that those responsible for environmental violations faced appropriate sanctions.

Following the presentation of the report, the Senate resolved into the Committee of the Whole to consider the bill clause by clause.

The lawmakers approved Clauses 1 to 12, alongside the short title, explanatory memorandum and long title, as recommended by the committee.

The Senate subsequently reverted to plenary, where the bill was read for the third time and passed.

The legislation is expected to strengthen NOSDRA’s enforcement capacity and provide a stronger legal framework for addressing oil spills and other environmental violations in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the chairman and members of the Senate Committee on Environment for their work on the legislation and congratulated NOSDRA on the additional powers provided under the bill.

“I also congratulate the agency for the extra powers granted today through this legislation,” Akpabio said.

He also asked the Senate leadership to check on Senator Olubiyi, noting that the committee chairman had not been seen in the chamber for some time. He requested a report on the senator’s welfare at a subsequent sitting.

The passage of the bill comes amid continuing concerns over the environmental and economic consequences of oil spills in the Niger Delta and other oil-producing communities.