The National Civil Society Coalition on Oil, Gas and Mining Host Communities has congratulated Senator Magnus Ngei Abe and the newly constituted Board of the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on their appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The group in a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its National Coordinator , Mr. Lawrence Dube, described the appointment as timely, noting that it comes “at a critical moment in Nigeria’s petroleum industry governance, especially in ensuring that the Host Communities Development Trusts (HCDTs) established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA, 2021) truly fulfill their purpose of promoting sustainable development, preventing conflict, and rebuilding trust between host communities, oil and gas operators, and the Nigerian State.”
The coalition, which advocates transparency, accountability, community rights, gender and social inclusion in the extractive sector, urged Senator Abe and the NUPRC leadership to prioritize strong oversight and inclusive governance of Host Communities Development Trusts.
The coalition called on the new leadership to “champion transparency and accountability in the administration and oversight of Host Communities Development Trusts, ensuring compliance with the law, clarity in fund management, and robust public reporting.”
The group stressed the importance of grassroots involvement, urging NUPRC to “guarantee meaningful participation of host communities, ensuring that Host Communities Development Trusts structures reflect genuine community representation, reduce elite capture, and empower communities to determine their development priorities.”
Highlighting the vulnerability of young people and women in oil-producing areas, the coalition also emphasized the need to “promote youth inclusion and gender sensitivity in all aspects of Host Communities Development Trusts implementation governance boards, project selection, employment, capacity building, and benefits distribution as young people and women remain the most affected by environmental degradation, unemployment, and socio-economic exclusion in oil-bearing communities.”
Calling for stricter regulation of operators, the coalition urged the commission to “strengthen monitoring, regulation, and enforcement so that operators fulfil their obligations and communities benefit equitably and sustainably.”
On security and stability, the coalition noted that effective implementation of HCDTs could help address long-standing tensions in oil-producing regions, stressing the need to “support peacebuilding and social cohesion, recognizing that well-governed HCDTs can reduce tensions, rebuild trust, and contribute to lasting peace and development in the Niger Delta and other producing regions.”
The coalition reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with regulators and other stakeholders, stating that it “stands ready to work collaboratively with NUPRC, host communities, civil society, and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the Host Communities Development Trusts do not fail like past community development mechanisms, but instead become a meaningful instrument for justice, inclusion, and sustainable development.”
Wishing Senator Abe and the board a successful tenure, the group expressed optimism for “a new era of responsible petroleum industry governance that places host communities at the centre of development outcomes.”
