Environmental degradation in the Niger Delta has led to significant ecological, socio-economic and cultural challenges, yet limited attention has been given to how indigenous communities communicate ecological identity and respond to anthropocentric development narratives. This study, therefore, examined the eco-cultural communication identity and the anthropocentric avoidance gesture in relation to communication, culture, and environmental sustainability. Anchored on Development Communication Theory and Political Ecology Theory, the study adopted a qualitative interpretive approach. Twenty-four participants, including traditional rulers, community elders, youth leaders, women leaders, fishermen, farmers, environmental activists, journalists and Community Development Committee representatives where selected through a critical case, a purposive sampling technique chosen from oil-producing communities in Rivers State, and participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were examined using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. Findings showed that ecological spaces were central to indigenous identity, collective memory, and livelihoods, while environmental degradation has weakened indigenous ecological knowledge, disrupted traditional communication systems, and reinforced anthropocentric institutional narratives that prioritise economic interests over ecological sustainability. The study concludes that sustainable environmental governance requires an eco-cultural communication framework that promotes participatory dialogue, indigenous knowledge integration, and inclusive decision-making. It contributes to environmental communication scholarship by extending eco-cultural communication identity and the anthropocentric avoidance gesture within the African context.