Two Nigerian communities are set to face oil giant Shell in a landmark legal battle over years of environmental devastation in the Niger Delta. Residents of Bille and Ogale—home to an estimated 50,000 people—allege that Shell’s operations have severely contaminated their land and drinking water, and they are demanding compensation and a comprehensive clean-up of the affected areas.

The case, which has been ongoing since 2015, will go to trial at the High Court in London in 2027. In a significant ruling, the court determined that Shell can be held liable even for oil spills allegedly caused by third-party sabotage—a legal breakthrough that sets a precedent for corporate accountability.

Shell maintains that the majority of the spills in question are the result of criminal activity and beyond its control. However, community leaders argue that the consequences of the pollution have been dire, with lives lost, livelihoods destroyed, and local ecosystems severely damaged.

“For too long, we have suffered without justice,” said a spokesperson for the Ogale community. “The pollution has poisoned our water and land. People are dying, and Shell must be held accountable.”

The communities are suing both Shell plc and its Nigerian subsidiary, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria—recently transferred to a new entity, Renaissance Africa Energy.

Environmental groups and legal experts have hailed the case as a watershed moment in the fight for corporate responsibility and environmental justice, particularly for communities in the Global South affected by multinational operations.

The outcome of the 2027 trial is expected to have far-reaching implications for the oil industry and could open the door to similar lawsuits from other affected communities around the world.