U.N. report: Nigeria oil cleanup could take 30 years, cost $1 billion

CNN

4 August 2011

U.N. report: Nigeria oil cleanup could take 30 years, cost $1 billion

 Restoration of Nigeria's environmentally devastated oil-producing Niger Delta region could take up to $1 billion and 30 years and amount to the world's largest-ever cleanup operation, a landmark United Nations report said Thursday.

The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report said pollution from more than 50 years of oil operations in Ogoniland is more far reaching than thought.

The assessment, commissioned by the Nigerian government and funded by oil giant Shell, comes on the heels of the company admitting liability for two spills in Nigeria. A spokesman said Shell welcomed the report.

"We will study the contents carefully and will comment further once we have done so," the spokesman said.