From Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
The people of Ogbogu Community, in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State have strongly raised their voices against oil multinational company, Total Energies, demanding its expulsion from their community and out of Africa, due to what the community described as a continuous pattern of corporate neglect spanning decades.
In a townhall meeting organized by CODAF which held August 18, 2025 was part of the pan-African “Kick Total Out of Africa” week of action, the event served as a powerful platform for the oil-impacted community to voice years of pent-up grievances against TotalEnergies’ operations under the OML 58 cluster.
The meeting which had community members, community leaders, women, youths and other stakeholders who accused TotalEnergies of employing divide-and-rule tactics within the community, making empty promises of development, and consistently failing to properly compensate for damages.
This gathering form part of a broader continental movement, with similar actions taking place simultaneously in nine other African nations including Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and South Africa. This coordinated Africa Week of Action, spearheaded by 350 Africa, represents a growing wave of resistance against fossil fuel corporations across the Africa
A member of the community, Mr. Ajie Wisdom stated that they are insisting that Total leaves Nigeria, as their operations have done more harm than good in the community”. He pointed out that Total gas flaring operations have negative impacted on the health of residents in the community.
They called for a comprehensive environmental remediation, to heal their poisoned land and waterways, reparations for years of lost livelihoods and health impacts, and stronger government oversight to prevent such corporate abuses in the future.
In a powerful show of unity, the community clearly stated their demands:
“TotalEnergies must immediately cease operations and leave not just Ogbogu but Nigeria entirely. “The era of unchecked corporate destruction in Nigeria is over, and the fight for environmental justice has only just begun.”
The community jointly vowed to escalate their campaign through legal action, sustained protests, and appeals to global allies.
Mr. Endurance Oriakhogba, Project Officer, CODAF announced plans to channel the community’s testimonies into formal petitions at the Africa tribunal which will hold in South Africa on the 24th of August 2025.
“We will take Ogbogu’s cry for justice to every relevant forum until TotalEnergies is held accountable and our environment restored.”
The meeting served as both a sobering documentation of corporate abuse and an inspiring display of community resilience. With the eyes of a continent-wide movement now on Ogbogu, this small Niger Delta community has positioned itself at the forefront of Africa’s growing fight against environmental injustice in the fossil fuel industry.
For decades, TotalEnergies has operated across Africa, extracting resources, displacing communities, and polluting the environment under the banner of “development.” In reality, their operations have left a legacy of oil spills, toxic gas flaring, forced displacement, and broken promises, enriching foreign corporations while deepening poverty and environmental harm.
The Kick Total Out of Africa campaign is a continent-wide call to end this exploitation and demand justice, reparations, and a just energy transition led by communities.
