Nigerians cannot pursue Shell spill claim in England, court rules
The case relates to oil spills by Royal Dutch Shell in Nigeria’s Delta region
London/Yenagoa — The court of appeal in London ruled on Wednesday that two Nigerian communities could not pursue Royal Dutch Shell in English courts over oil spills in Nigeria’s Delta region. The split decision upheld a high court ruling in 2017 that was a setback to attempts to hold British multinationals liable at home for their subsidiaries’ actions abroad. The court rejected the appeal by law firm Leigh Day on behalf of Nigeria’s Bille and Ogale communities, and upheld a ruling that English courts do not have jurisdiction over claims against Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). SPDC is jointly operated with the Nigerian government. Shell said the court "rightly upheld" the earlier ruling, and said Nigeria’s "well-developed justice system" was the correct place for the claims. Leigh Day said the two Nigerian communities intended to bring the case to Britain’s supreme court. "We are hopeful that the supreme court will grant permission to appeal a...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.