A decade of environmental restoration work in Ogoniland has reached another major milestone as the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, marks 10 years of project delivery!
With activities at the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER), Wiiyaakara, Khana LGA, Ogoni, Rivers State, on Thursday, September 3, 2026, the colourful anniversary event was attended by dignitaries from across Nigeria.
The Centre, a direct recommendation of the 2011 report of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) on Ogoniland, is envisioned as a hub for research, skills development, and environmental restoration in the Niger Delta.
Under the leadership of the Project Coordinator, Nenibarini Zabbey,, HYPREP has accelerated work at the facility, reaching about 95% completion, a milestone observers have described as exceeding expectations.
The Centre is composed of Administrative and Academic Blocks, Advanced Laboratories, Integrated Contaminated Soil Management Centre (ICSMC), and Support Infrastructure, including a state-of-the-art clinic.
Speaking during the anniversary ceremony, the project coordinator reaffirmed HYPREP’s commitment to transparency, community engagement, and delivering sustainable legacies for Ogoni people.
Zabbey said the Centre, expected to be commissioned as soon as possible,will serve as one of the Project’s signature achievements in the last decade, marking the highq point of HYPREP’s major project deliveries.
When completed the CEER could become a centre where environmental knowledge is created, young people are trained, restoration technologies are developed, and the lessons of Ogoni’s environmental struggle are transformed into solutions for the Niger Delta and beyond.
