Winnie Hakubote

Nigerian environmental activist leading the cleanup of contaminated rivers in the Niger Delta

Winnie Hakubote (b. 1975) is a Nigerian environmental engineer and community organizer who pioneered grassroots efforts to remediate oil-contaminated waterways in the Niger Delta. Her work addresses the legacy of decades of oil spills that have devastated local ecosystems and livelihoods. Hakubote developed a bioremediation technique using locally sourced plant materials to absorb petroleum pollutants, which she began implementing in 1999.

Her most significant project, the 'Green Rivers Initiative', has restored over 200km of waterways by 2020. This involved training over 3,000 women from affected communities in bioremediation techniques and establishing cooperative enterprises to sustain the work. The initiative's success led to partnerships with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the creation of the first community-managed wetland reserve in the region.

Hakubote's approach combines scientific innovation with social justice principles, ensuring that local communities benefit economically from the cleanup efforts. Her invention of the 'Eco-Filter' - a low-cost water purification system using mangrove roots - has provided safe drinking water to 150,000 people. She established the Delta Environmental Solutions Institute in 2005, which now operates training centers across four states.

Despite death threats from oil companies, Hakubote continues advocating for environmental justice. Her TED Talk Clean Water for All has over 2 million views. Her work was acknowledged with the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2018, often called the 'Green Nobel Prize'.