Exhibit 99.1


                                  PRESS RELEASE
                                  -------------

16 JANUARY 2002


                 ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION HOLDING CORPORATION

ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION HOLDING ANNOUNCES TREATY BETWEEN FEDERAL REPUBLIC
OF NIGERIA AND THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF SAO TOME & PRINCIPE IS RATIFIED AND
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

TREATY ESTABLISHES A JOINT DEVELOPMENT ZONE FOR THE EXPLORATION AND
EXPLOITATION OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES.

HOUSTON, TEXAS, USA - Environmental Remediation Holding Corporation ("ERHC")
(OTC BB: ERHC) today received notification from the Foreign Ministers of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria ("Nigeria") and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome
& Principe ("DRSTP") that the Treaty between the two countries, establishing a
Joint Development Zone ("JDZ") over the offshore area that had previously been
subject to competing national claims, has been ratified by all relevant
governmental and parliamentary bodies in both countries and is immediately
effective.

In consequence, the Memorandum Agreement executed 21 May 2001 between ERHC and
DRSTP, under which ERHC has certain rights to be awarded working interests in
licenses, and a share in signature bonuses and profit oil, and an over-riding
royalty on production, has now become effective, the conditions of the
Memorandum Agreement having been fulfilled. Upon the order of the consent award
the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement shall entitle ERHC to the following:

   WORKING INTERESTS:

   i.   the option to acquire up to a 15% paid working interests in up to two
        (2) blocks of ERHC's choice in the JDZ;

   ii.  100% working interests in up to two (2) blocks of ERHC's choice in the
        DRSTP's Exclusive Economic Zone (outside the JDZ) ("EEZ"), without
        payment of signature bonuses, after DRSTP reserves three (3) blocks; and

   iii. the option to acquire up to a 15% paid working interests in an
        additional two (2) blocks of ERHC's choice in the DRSTP's EEZ.

   SHARE OF PROFIT OIL AND SIGNATURE BONUSES:

   i.   5% of DRSTP's share of Signature Bonuses paid by companies operating
        within the JDZ (under the terms of the Treaty, DRSTP will receive 40% of
        the Joint Authority's share of Signature Bonuses paid by companies to
        acquire the right to enter into a production sharing contract); and

   ii.  10% of DRSTP's share of Profit Oil received from operations conducted in
        the JDZ (under the terms of the Treaty, DRSTP will receive 40% of the
        Joint Authority's share of Profit Oil from production sharing
        contracts).



   ROYALTY:


   1.5% Overriding Royalty Interest in the gross production of crude oil and/or
   natural gas in the JDZ.

A ceremony was held in Abuja today to inaugurate the JDZ and announce the
formation of the Joint Authority to administer the JDZ. President and Head of
State Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and President Fradique de Menezes of DRSTP
presided over the ceremony, which was also attended by Sir Emeka Offor, Chairman
of ERHC, and Mr Chude Mba, President of ERHC.

Mr Chude Mba said: "Now that the treaty has been ratified and the Joint
Authority formed, we expect rapid progress towards the launch of the first
licensing round in the JDZ, in which ERHC expects to play a significant role."


________________________________________________________________________________

ABOUT ERHC

Environmental Remediation Holding Corporation ("ERHC") (OTC Bulletin Board:
ERHC) is a Houston-based publicly traded US oil and gas company focused on oil
and gas exploration in prospective undeveloped basins of West Africa.

ERHC's initial goal is to maximize value arising from existing contractual
rights in the Joint Development Zone (JDZ) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome & Principe (DRSTP), and the Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) of DRSTP.

ERHC is also in a position to seek other growth options, including additional
oil and gas interests within the JDZ and EEZ, elsewhere offshore the Gulf of
Guinea, and in other parts of the West African region.

________________________________________________________________________________


THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS CERTAIN "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS," AS THAT TERM
IS DEFINED IN THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995. EXCEPT FOR
HISTORICAL INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS RELEASE, THESE FORWARD LOOKING
STATEMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT
REGULATION, COMPETITION, CAPITAL RESOURCES, GENERAL ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, AND
OTHER RISKS DETAILED IN ERHC'S SEC REPORTS. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT CAN
BE IDENTIFIED BY THE USE OF TERMINOLOGY SUCH AS "INTENDS," "MAY," "WILL,"
"SHOULD," "COULD", "EXPECTS," AND "PLANS". FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS IN THIS
RELEASE INCLUDE, THE ABILITY OF ERHC TO EXPLOIT ITS OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION
CONCESSION IN SAO TOME AND ITS ABILITY TO LOCATE, ACQUIRE AND DEVELOP HIGH
POTENTIAL OIL AND GAS PROSPECTS.


    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT JOHN COLEMAN AT ERHC: (713) 626 4700.