Our projects

SDN supports…

the efforts of those affected by the extractives industry and weak governance, and has worked in the Niger Delta since 2004. The Niger Delta is Africa’s largest oil-producing region but in spite of this its people have seen little benefit. Instead, they have borne the brunt of decades of pollution from oil spills and gas flares, high unemployment, government mismanagement, conflict, and everyday violence.

We work with…

communities and engage with governments, companies and other stakeholders to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights, including the right to a healthy environment. Our projects aim to promote good governance, protect the environment, create sustainable livelihoods, and support peace and security.

We do this through…

delivering independent research and analysis, and increasing access to information to promote transparency and inform debate about the actions of government and the oil and gas industry in the Niger Delta; through campaigning and support to communities to engage with government and the oil and gas sector to influence their actions; and through working with government and civil society to support them to fulfil their roles in regulating and scrutinising the industry.

Selected current and completed projects


The Deepening Accountability and Strengthening Inclusion (DASI) project builds and expands on previous work by SDN to increase political participation and representation by women and young people in Rivers State in the run up to 2023 elections, and secure policy commitments and actions by political aspirants, representatives, and political parties in response to the demands of women and young people.


This project aims to reduce the digital gender gap by providing tailored digital skills training for women and girls, establishing links between them and job providers in the tech sector, and supporting women-owned businesses to grow through the provision of digital training.

This project aims to shape Host Community Development Trust’s (HCDT) implementation to maximise the potential for community benefit and minimise the risks HCDTs and the associated legislative framework potentially present by supporting host communities to better understand HCDTs and collectively represent their interests.


The Ken Saro-Wiwa Innovation Hub (the Hub) has become a prominent centre supporting high quality, tech-based livelihoods that connect women and young people in the Niger Delta to the global internet marketplace.


This two-year project aims to protect basic civil liberties in Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers States and to mobilize support for the domestication/
mobilization of the Criminal Justice Act. The Criminal Justice Act promotes efficient management of criminal justice institutions and is important because it supports speedy dispensation of justice, protection of society from crimes and protection of the rights and interest of the suspect, the defendant and victims in Nigeria.


The aim of this project is to ensure communities in the Niger Delta fairly benefit from the proceeds of the oil and gas industry and that local and global environmental impact from the oil and gas industry is reduced. It seeks to scale-up some of the most successful areas of our work and innovate new solutions to environmental challenges in the region.


This project aims to increase political participation and representation of women and young people in Rivers state in the run up to 2023 election and secure policy commitments and actions from political aspirants, representatives, and political parties, in response to the demands of women and young people.


This project aims to strengthen the resilience of 300 smallholder farmers over nine months by improving access to financial support and technical advice for agriculture and aquaculture businesses within three riverine communities across the Southern Ijaw and Nembe Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State.


This project will strengthen the ability of civil society to hold the Federal Government of Nigeria to account for a major clean-up of oil spills in the Niger Delta.

Project label for Monitoring the Ogoni clean-up

This project seeks to improve the relationships between electricity distribution companies, consumers, and other key stakeholders by building awareness, communication, and trust between them.

Project label for Power Hour

This six-month project aims to expand collective action by civil society in Rivers State to challenge threats, and create opportunities, to widen civic space. Relatedly, the project also aims to increase civil society action in upcoming off-cycle/by elections for Ondo and Bayelsa states.


This project works to improve the natural environment in the Niger Delta, and the quality of service provision by government and other institutions in the area.

Project label for Environment and Governance action in the Niger Delta

This project aims to support the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) to ensure the effective coordination and monitoring of development initiatives in the Niger Delta.


The aim of this project is to understand the incentives that make people engage in informal, and in this case illicit and corrupt, livelihoods in the Niger Delta region, instead of engaging in the formal, legitimate economy.


This project aims to contribute to wider efforts to slow and minimise transmission of Coronavirus Covid-19, and also to mitigate the negative social, economic, and security impacts of both the virus and the response to it.


This project contributes to the reduction of incidences of corruption in Rivers State by improving social and political accountability of duty bearers and service providers with a focus on the Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC).


This project aims to increase public participation in the development and implementation of a range of initiatives across security, governance, economic diversification, and environmental issues in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

Project label for Niger Delta Stabilisation programme

This project pilots a new method to track maritime imports and exports of oil in Nigeria, by using public, satellite, and industry standard maritime intelligence data.


The project aims to improve awareness of the challenges facing communities claiming their right to compensation if they are impacted by oil spills.


This project strives to increase political participation amongst women living in the Niger Delta.

Project label for More women in Governance

This project seeks to improve the credibility, fairness, and freedom of the Bayelsa State 2019 Governorship elections.

Project label for Bayelsa Governorship elections 2019


This was a citizen-led elections observation project reporting on the 2019 Nigerian presidential and governorship elections.

Project label for Niger Delta Watch 2019

This project aimed to provide better data on pollution from the Nigerian oil and gas industry in the Niger Delta. This would enable NOSDRA, civil society, and environmental researchers to take more effective action to address it.

Project label for oil spill monitor and gas flare tracker


This project sought to leverage the opportunities of the internet and digital activism, as well as on-the-ground observation, to foster a freer, fairer, and more credible 2015 election in Nigeria.

Project label for Niger Delta Watch 2015

This project aimed to direct the energies and skills of youths into positive and constructive projects. The project harnessed their charisma, leadership and management skills and enabled them to become peace ambassadors in their communities.

Project label for Dawn in the Creeks

This project was a seven-year project to develop community-based energy initiatives, using natural gas and renewable energy, to help the many people that live in chronic energy poverty in the Niger Delta.

Project label for SUNGAS

Published: 05.12.19 updated: 12.02.2020