Why is Shell in court in England over Nigerian oil spills?
Shell is involved in an ongoing case involving Nigerian oil spills in the English Courts. Claims have been brought against Renaissance Africa Energy Company, as operator of the facilities from which oil spills are alleged to have occurred, and against Shell plc as the former parent company. Crude oil theft and sabotage over many years are behind the majority of spills in this case, and we maintain that Shell and Renaissance are not liable for illegal refining or other criminal acts of third parties.
Why is Shell in UK court over Nigerian oil spills?
For several years, Shell has been involved in an ongoing Nigerian oil spill case in the English courts. Bille & Ogale vs Shell plc and Renaissance Africa Energy Company involves claims brought against Renaissance (formerly The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC)), as operator of the facilities from which oil spills are alleged to have occurred, and against Shell plc as SPDC’s former parent company. Shell sold SPDC to Renaissance Africa Energy Holding in 2025, after which SPDC was renamed Renaissance Africa Energy Company (Renaissance).
Crude oil theft and sabotage in Nigeria are major issues in these claims. These criminal activities over many years are behind the majority of spills in the Bille and Ogale case, and we maintain that Shell and Renaissance are not liable for illegal refining or other third party criminal acts.
Shell companies in Nigeria continue to contribute significantly to the country's economy and society. Shell recently announced a significant investment in a Nigerian deep-water project.
What do the Bille & Ogale claims entail?
The claims against Renaissance and Shell plc involve:
- Four separate claims for compensation for oil spills, brought in England, on behalf of two Nigerian communities in Rivers State, Nigeria (the Bille Kingdom and the Ogale Community) and approximately 14,000 individual claimants.
- The Bille claim emanates from alleged spills from 2011 – 2014 from Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL, a divested asset). The Ogale claim is based on alleged spills from 1989-2020. There are 131 alleged spills in total – Bille (10); Ogale (121). Currently, the focus is on Bille claims while Ogale claims are paused.
What happens next in the Bille Ogale lawsuit?
An 18-week merits trial for Bille will take place from 1 March 2027. The trial will examine a selection of claimants, the damages they claim, and the alleged causes of the damages.
Why has this case been going on for a decade?
In 2015, UK solicitors Leigh Day started the first of several oil spill claims against Shell plc and SPDC on behalf of the Ogale and Bille communities in Rivers State, Niger Delta. Shell plc and SPDC challenged the claimants' ability to bring the claims in England, given the alleged events and harm occurred entirely in Nigeria. The English High Court (January 2017) and Court of Appeal (February 2018) agreed with Shell’s position. However, the English Supreme Court overturned those decisions in February 2021, finding that the claimants had an arguable case – a low threshold – which meant their claims could not be dismissed at this stage without a more detailed review of the merits.
Since then, Shell has not sought to delay this claim. The procedural challenges we raised were due to a poorly pleaded claim in 2016. With the court’s assistance, there is now a fair and acceptable way through to trial.
What about the sale of SPDC to Renaissance?
Shell sold its Nigerian subsidiary in 2025 to a capable buyer with operating experience in the Niger Delta, approved by the government. Now under new ownership and called Renaissance Africa Energy Company, the company operates as part of a joint venture. The sale was designed to help set up Renaissance for success, by keeping the company’s expertise intact, including environmental capabilities.
Did Shell exit Nigeria without cleaning up?
For many years, the vast majority of spills in the Niger Delta have been caused by third parties acting unlawfully, such as oil thieves who drill holes in pipelines, or saboteurs. These challenges are managed by a joint venture which Shell’s former subsidiary operated, using local expertise in spill response and clean-up.
The spills from Renaissance’s joint venture facilities referenced in the Bille Ogale litigation were cleaned up by the joint venture regardless of the cause, as required by Nigerian law, working in collaboration with government-owned partner NNPC Ltd, Nigerian government agencies and local communities. Clean-up certificates were issued by the Nigerian regulator NOSDRA.
Shell has not exited Nigeria; we remain a major investor in Nigeria with our Deepwater and Gas businesses; Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), Shell Nigeria Gas Limited (SNG) and Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) (25.6% interest) , supporting the country’s energy needs and its economy.
Summary
- Shell has a continuing commitment to Nigeria, its people and the economy. Where we operate, we bring jobs, support local supply chains and invest in the education and healthcare people rely on, as well as providing billions of dollars in income to the Nigerian government.
- We strongly believe in the merits of our case. Oil is being stolen on an industrial scale in the Niger Delta. This criminality is a major source of pollution and is the cause of the majority of spills in the Bille and Ogale claims.
- These challenges are managed by a joint venture which Shell’s former Nigerian subsidiary operated, cleaning up every spill from the joint venture’s facilities. Now under new ownership and called Renaissance Africa Energy Company, the company still operates as part of the joint venture and remains accountable for cleaning up spills from the joint venture’s facilities.
- Shell remains a major investor in Nigeria, supporting the country’s energy needs and its economy.
- UK solicitors Leigh Day litigation does little to address the real problem in the Niger Delta: oil pollution due to theft, illegal refining and sabotage, which cause the most environmental damage.
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