Stakeholders, including representatives of government, civil society and community leaders, have charted the way forward for sustainable host community development in the oil rich Niger Delta region.
The stakeholders spoke at a dialogue forum organized by the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, PIND, and the Ford Foundation to reflect on lessons from four years of implementing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) — particularly its Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) provisions.
The Host Community Development Trusts is a central mechanism of the PIA designed to ensure that host communities benefit directly from extractive activities.
The forum, which also marked the official conclusion of the Bridges Project, brought together leaders from the government, settlors, regulators, representatives of HCDTs and communities.
The two-day stakeholders forum, themed ‘Four years of the PIA: Lessons, gains, and the path forward for Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs)’, had over 150 participants, including representatives from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, South South Development Commission, SSDC, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, state governments, development partners, settlors, civil society and community leaders.
In an address at the event, Mr. Sam Ogbemi Daibo, Executive Director of PIND Foundation, described the forum as a step towards consolidating lessons from the Bridges Project for future implementation.
He said, “The Bridges Project has shown that the success of the PIA — and particularly the HCDT model, depends not just on compliance, but on collaboration, trust, and shared accountability. The lessons learned from this process provide a roadmap for the years ahead — guiding how we strengthen partnerships, deepen community engagement, and sustain the gains of host community development.”
The Bridges Project Status Report, presented at the event, highlighted improved awareness of PIA provisions, strengthened stakeholder collaboration, and the establishment of new models for participatory governance.
In a keynote address presented on behalf of the chief executive of the NUPRC, the Commission’s Manager, Host Community Development Administration, Mrs Omolade Awah, noted that through the project, PIND and Ford Foundation fostered dialogue and evidence-based engagement that strengthen transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act.
According to her, the Host Community Development Trust framework is already yielding visible results across the Niger Delta, from infrastructure and human capital projects to renewed community trust and stability.
She said the NUPRC was committed to ensuring that the HCDT structure continues to serve as a credible mechanism for sustainable development, peacebuilding, and shared prosperity in host communities.
Also speaking at the stakeholders’ forum, Linus Nkan, Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Akwa Ibom State, emphasized that “the success of the HCDT implementation depends on shared accountability, trust, and continuous learning”. He proposed that the initiative should also be extended to government houses of all the Niger Delta states.
PIND and the Ford Foundation reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining the gains of the Multi-Stakeholder Platform, MSP, supporting capacity building for HCDTs, and advancing a future where peace and prosperity in the Niger Delta are community-owned and sustained.
The Bridges Project, which was launched in 2023, served as a platform for dialogue and collaboration among regulators, settlors, and host communities.
The Multi-Stakeholder Platform, an aspect of the project, was designed to strengthen transparency, build trust and promote shared accountability in the implementation of the PIA’s Host Community Development Trusts initiative.