Senate Passes bill to jail oil polluters, impose heavier fine

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA- THE Senate has passed a bill that would strengthen the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) with powers to impose heavier fines and criminal penalties for oil spill violations.
The bill is titled National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed after the Senate adopted the report of its Committee on Environment.
The bill seeks to amend the NOSDRA Establishment Act 2006 to provide statutory backing for adequate fines and criminal sanctions to enforce environmental laws in the petroleum sector.
In his presentation of the report, Chairman Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi, Senate Chief Whip Senat...