IIED History & Facts

Introduction/Background

Human society is currently facing several unprecedented complex environment and development related global challenges that include; exponential population growth and urbanization, biodiversity resources depletion, food/water/energy security, poverty, environmental sustainability, climate change, natural hazards, etc. Traditional discipline-based knowledge and approaches are no longer sufficiently effective in addressing these complex and interconnected global problems which transcend disciplinary, sectoral, and regional boundaries. An inter/multi-disciplinary and systems view approach is required as well as close collaboration between research, industry, government and local communities.

The Integrated Institute of Environment and Development (IIED) formed by Foundation for Conservation of Nigerian Rivers and Federal University of Petroleum Resources in 2017 is established as an overarching institute to provide a university-wide platform for collaboration among the different disciplines within and outside the university to pursue innovative, integrated and inter/multi-disciplinary research and training in environment and sustainable development, focusing on regional, national and international issues.

IIED was eventually approved as a Centre by the Governing Council of the University with an expanded scope to conduct specialized environmental competency certificate courses, postgraduate programmes and innovative researches that would produce graduates with relevant skills to proffer solutions to environmental challenges for sustainable development.

Facts About Our Centre

Research and Environmental Studies:

The IIED-FUPRE Integrated Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation, Research and Training (Demonstration) Centre (IIED-FUPRE- IHPRRTDC) at Obi-Ayagha Community in Ughelli South LGA, Delta State, Nigeria, is a student- community based ecosystem research and restoration project involving University, Secondary Schools, community members and the general public in line with United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).

The current economy of the States in the Niger Delta has been dominated by oil development since the discovery of major oil deposit in 1956, which generates considerable wealth. Nonetheless, Nigeria, and particularly the States in the Niger Delta, suffer from the “resource curse” phenomenon, in that despite its richness in oil and other hydrocarbon resources, poverty levels and environmental degradation are high. To a large extent, the cultural and economic identity of the Niger Delta has been transformed from that of typical Niger Delta System to that of an oil producing region.

Some of the reasons for the ‘’resource curse “are strong alignment of political elites with multinationals and other economic actors in the oil and fossil fuel sector, such that strong institutions to use rents from fossil fuel exploration and exploitation to support local economies and jobs, democratic institutions, fair representation and environmental protection that benefits local community have not emerged.

Obi-Ayagha Community Swamp Forest is one of the ecosystems that highlights the effect of this “resource curse” in the Niger Delta.  For several years, Obi-Ayagha Community was one of the epicentres of illegal oil refinery in the Niger Delta. The activities of over decade of illegal refinery have left a sad legacy of massive ecological degradation and social-cultural dislocation which will take several years and huge resources to address.  The community is now confronted with environmental issues such as hydrocarbon pollution impacted soil and water, loss of biodiversity, and climate change impacts and attendant health impacts and food insecurity. 

The good news, however, is that the activities of illegal refining has been put to an end-thanks to SPDC-Wetland International Intervention in 2015. Unfortunately, the massive hydrocarbon pollution impacted ecosystems of Obi-Ayagha River Watersheds are yet to be addressed.  This will require the cooperation and resources of diverse stakeholders including Government, Corporate bodies, spirited individuals, donor agencies, academia, students, politicians and NGOs and the communities within the Obi- Ayagha River Watershed catchment.

This is why IIED-FUPRE is intervening under the platform of UN Decade on Ecosystems Restoration (2021-2030) by adopting Obi-Ayagha Community River Watershed Hydrocarbon Pollution impacted site as a demonstration centre of ecosystem research, training and   restoration in the Niger Delta.

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