With a high-level stakeholders’ dialogue forum that brought together government leaders, settlors, regulators, representatives of Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs), and communities to consider lessons learned from four years of implementing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), particularly its HCDT provisions, the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) and the Ford Foundation formally concluded the Bridges Project.
A key component of the PIA is the Host Community Development Trusts, which are intended to guarantee that extractive activities directly benefit host communities.
A path ahead for the Niger Delta region’s sustainable host community development was also outlined in the stakeholders’ dialogue session.
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 were among the more than 150 participants in the two-day stakeholders’ forum with the theme “Four Years of the PIA: Lessons, Gains, and the Path Forward for Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs).
Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Sam Ogbemi Daibo, Executive Director of PIND Foundation, stated that the discussion was a crucial step in compiling lessons learned from the Bridges Project for use in the future.
The Bridges Project has demonstrated that cooperation, trust, and shared accountability are just as important to the PIA’s and especially the HCDT model’s success as compliance. The knowledge gained from this approach serves as a road map for the years to come, directing how we fortify alliances, increase community involvement, and maintain the benefits of host community development, he stated.
The Bridges Project Status Report, which emphasized increased understanding of PIA provisions, enhanced stakeholder participation, and the development of new models for participatory governance, was presented at the forum.
The Commission’s Manager, Host Community Development Administration, Mrs. Omolade Awah, gave a keynote speech on behalf of the NUPRC Chief Executive. She praised PIND and the Ford Foundation for encouraging discussion and evidence-based engagement that strengthen accountability and transparency under the Petroleum Industry Act.
She pointed out that the Host Community Development confidence framework, a fundamental tenet of the PIA, is already producing noticeable outcomes throughout the Niger Delta, ranging from human capital and infrastructural initiatives to restored community stability and confidence.
Awah reiterated the Commission’s dedication to making sure the HCDT structure remains a reliable tool for shared prosperity, peacebuilding, and sustainable development in host communities.
“The success of HCDT implementation depends on shared accountability, trust, and continuous learning, and it should also be extended to government houses of all the Niger Delta states,” stated Mr. Linus Nkan, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Akwa Ibom State, who also spoke at the event.
PIND and the Ford Foundation reiterated their dedication to maintaining the Multi-Stakeholder Platform’s (MSP) benefits, assisting HCDTs in developing their capacity, and promoting a future in which peace and prosperity in the Niger Delta are owned and sustained by the local community.
