Colonial environmental damage should be part of Africa’s reparations claim, UNILAG study 

Colonial-era environmental destruction should be recognised as a separate component of Africa’s reparations claim, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Lagos.

The report, titled “CO2lonianism, Ecocide, Reparations,” argues that policies introduced during British colonial rule—including resource extraction, deforestation and forced agricultural production—created ecological damage that continues to worsen Africa’s climate vulnerability.

Presented in Lagos on August 28, the study has been submitted to the African Union’s Committee of Experts on Reparations (AUCER) and Legal Reference Group on Reparations (AULER). Both bodies are helping develop a common African position on reparations from former imperial powers.

UNILAG links colonial extraction to today’s climate crisis

The report treats colonial environmental damage as distinct from the transatlantic slave trade and other forms of exploitation. Its authors argue that the destruction of forests, soils, waterways and mineral-rich landscapes weakened African economies while creating long-term risks for farming and public welfare.

Prof. Nkem Onyekpe, Head of the Department of History and Strategic Studies at the University of Lagos and the study’s lead author, said previous research had already shown that large-scale historical exploitation could be valued financially.

He referred to a peer-reviewed 2022 estimate that placed the value of resources transferred from the Global South through unequal exchange at more than $10 trillion in 2015 alone.

“If the same order of logic—that large-scale, structurally unequal appropriation of resources is capable of rigorous monetary valuation—were extended backwards across the full duration of colonial rule and across affected African states, the resulting figure would run into hundreds of trillions of dollars, and quite possibly beyond,” Onyekpe said.

Uganda case shows lasting impact of land degradation

To illustrate the continuing effects of colonial environmental policies, the study cites evidence from Uganda’s Kanungu District.

Research referenced in the report found a significant relationship between land degradation and declining farmer livelihoods. Deforestation was identified as a major cause, with local officials and farmers linking damaged landscapes to worsening food insecurity, hunger and economic hardship.

The report says such examples demonstrate why reparations should extend beyond financial compensation. It recommends consideration of ecological restoration, climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture and direct support for communities affected by environmental damage.

African Union preparing a common reparations framework

The report arrives as the African Union advances its reparations agenda under the Decade of Justice and Reparations, scheduled to run from 2026 to 2035.

The initiative follows the AU’s decision to make 2025 the Year of Reparations. Its objective is to help African states develop a harmonised methodology for pursuing a unified claim against former colonial powers.

UNILAG researchers believe environmental destruction should be included in that framework, alongside slavery, forced labour, resource extraction and cultural dispossession.

Civil society backs environmental reparations

Ogunlade Olamide, Associate Director at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, said reparations discussions must account for the environmental damage that supported colonial economic systems.

“Colonial reparations cannot stop at counting the lives taken, the people enslaved, the resources extracted, and indigenous survival altered,” he said.

Olamide added that ecological destruction continues to influence Africa’s exposure to climate change and should therefore be treated as part of the debt owed to African peoples.

New ecocide laws may strengthen African claims

The legal basis for environmental reparations has expanded in recent years. The report references a working legal definition of ecocide developed by an Independent Expert Panel, European legal instruments adopted in 2024 and 2025, and proposals seeking to place severe environmental destruction within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

The African Union also decided in July 2025 to establish an ad hoc committee to examine whether massive ecosystem destruction should be classified as an international crime.

According to the report, these developments could provide African governments with additional legal tools when pursuing historical environmental claims.

Nauru case provides an international precedent

The study cites the International Court of Justice case involving Certain Phosphate Lands in Nauru. Nauru sued Australia over environmental destruction linked to phosphate mining during the country’s period of Australian administration.

Legal expert Dr Karibi Whyte said the case showed that claims involving colonial-era environmental damage could be grounded in international law.

“The Nauru case proves that such claims are not merely theoretical but are grounded in established international law,” he said.

The UNILAG researchers argue that African states can build on the precedent while addressing environmental damage affecting multiple countries and communities.

Climate justice becomes central to reparations debate

The report’s authors hope their findings will support African leaders as they negotiate a unified framework for justice and reparations.

Their argument is that Africa’s climate vulnerability cannot be understood without examining the historical systems that altered its landscapes and economies. As a result, any meaningful reparations package should include environmental recovery, climate finance, land restoration and protection for affected communities.

The study places environmental destruction at the centre of Africa’s reparations debate, connecting historical accountability with present-day climate justice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the UNILAG report argue?

It argues that colonial environmental destruction should be recognised as a separate category of harm in Africa’s reparations negotiations.

How much could colonial environmental reparations be worth?

The report suggests that a comprehensive valuation could reach hundreds of trillions of dollars, although it does not establish a final compensation figure.

Why is the Uganda example important?

The Kanungu case illustrates how deforestation and land degradation continue to affect farming, food security and local livelihoods.

What is ecocide?

Ecocide generally refers to severe, widespread or long-term environmental destruction. Legal efforts are ongoing to define and criminalise it internationally.

Which AU bodies received the report

Which AU Bodies Received the Report?

The study was submitted to the African Union’s Committee of Experts on Reparations (AUCER) and the Legal Reference Group on Reparations (AULER). These bodies are supporting efforts to develop a common African position on reparations from former colonial powers.