A laboratory-scale bioremediation scheme for the clean lip of an oil-polluted waterbody in a rural community in Rivers State, Nigeria, was investigated as follows: (i) a one time addition of 2 g of NPK (1:1.4; N:P) agricultural fertilizer to 100 g of sediment and 850 ml of stream wafer from the polluted areas; (ii) a one time addition of mineral salts solution comprising NH4NO3, 0.42 g; KH2PO4 0.83 g; NaCl, 10 g; KCl, 0.29 g to 100 g of sediment and 850 mi of stream water; (iii) a periodic (fortnightly) addition of 0.5 g NPK fertilizer to 100 g of sediment and 850 mi of stream water; (iv) a control comprising a set-up with 100 g of sediment and 850 mi of stream wafer but no nutrients. All volumes were adjusted to I I with the stream water The efficacy of the scheme was monitored by the measurement of heterotrophic bacterial activities hydrocarbon-degrading activities including mineralization (CO2 evolution), and by the gravimetric loss of the oil with time. A cummulative CO2 evolution of 3.9, 2.9, 1.8 and 0.5 g was recorded for the test conditions (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv), respectively. There was a corresponding gravimetric hydrocarbon loss of 66.7, 57.9, 41.3 and 13.0% for test conditions (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv), respectively. Nitrogen limitation was detected in the course of the study. The remaining (33.3%) undegraded hydrocarbon was attributable to either recalcitrant groups or nitrogen limitation. It is concluded that there is a great need for application of bioremediation technology for a thorough clean up of oil-polluted waters in this community in Nigeria. Copyright (C) 1996 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.