The House of Representatives has begun consideration of a bill seeking stiffer penalties, including imprisonment, for individuals and oil companies responsible for oil spills and environmental pollution in Nigeria.

The development comes barely 24 hours after the Senate passed the proposed amendment to the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency Establishment Act, 2006, and transmitted it to the House for concurrence.

A source in the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly, who disclosed this to The PUNCH, confirmed that the bill had been transmitted to the House and passed first reading, marking the commencement of legislative consideration.

The proposed amendment seeks to strengthen the enforcement powers of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, while introducing tougher sanctions against individuals, oil companies and other operators responsible for environmental pollution.

The Senate had earlier passed the bill following the adoption of a report by its Committee on Environment.

Presenting the report, Chairman of the committee, Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi, supported the proposed amendments, while the Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, highlighted the devastating impact of recurring oil spills on communities in the Niger Delta.

Monguno noted that oil pollution had contaminated water sources, destroyed farmlands and undermined the livelihoods of residents who depend largely on fishing and farming.

He argued that existing financial penalties were inadequate to deter offenders, calling for tougher sanctions, including criminal liability for oil spill incidents that cause environmental damage.

He maintained that the current fines were not sufficiently discouraging, saying, “The fines are not deterrent enough to deter offenders.”

Following deliberations, the Senate dissolved into the Committee of the Whole to consider the bill clause by clause and subsequently approved all 12 clauses.

The bill was later read for the third time and passed.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, commended the Committee on Environment for its work and expressed optimism that the proposed amendment would strengthen NOSDRA’s capacity to enforce environmental regulations.

Oil pollution remains a major environmental challenge in the Niger Delta, with repeated spill incidents affecting water bodies, farmlands, fishing, agriculture and other economic activities.

With the bill now before the House of Representatives, lawmakers are expected to consider the Senate-approved provisions as part of the legislative process.

The proposed amendment must secure the concurrence of the House and fulfil other constitutional requirements before it can be transmitted to the President for assent.

If signed into law, the amendment is expected to provide NOSDRA with stronger legal backing to tackle oil pollution and hold individuals and organisations accountable for environmental violations.