What keeps it alive
Shell (Royal Dutch Shell, now Shell plc) is headquartered in the Netherlands and is the dominant oil company in Nigeria. The Nigeria-Netherlands relationship is largely a Shell relationship. Dutch courts have ruled against Shell for Niger Delta pollution.
Active drivers
OIL
Anchors
Shell oil concessions · Shell headquarters in The Hague · Dutch court rulings
Accountability
Dutch courts ruled that Shell is responsible for pollution damage to Nigerian farming and fishing communities. Shell has contested findings and compensation amounts. The sale of SPDC (2023) raises questions about liability transfer.
Key moments
- 1960Relations established.
- 2021Dutch Court of Appeal ruled Shell Nigeria must compensate Nigerian farmers for pipeline pollution in the Niger Delta. First time a court in a company's home country ordered compensation for environmental harm in a developing country.
- 2023Shell announced sale of its onshore Nigeria operations (SPDC) amid sustained legal pressure and community conflict.