By Abdullahi Sabiu
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) funds allocated to host communities are effectively utilized for sustainable development in the Niger Delta.
This was contained in a press release signed by Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the company
This assurance was given at the weekend during a high-level stakeholder engagement session with the KEFFESO Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) in Bayelsa State. The KEFFESO HCDT is a cluster of host communities comprising Koluama 1 and 2, Ezetu 1 and 2, Foropa, Fish Town, Ekeni, Sangana, Opu Okumbiri, Okumbiribeleu, and Oginibiri, under the NNPC Ltd./FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (FIRST E&P) Joint Venture (JV).
Speaking at the engagement session in Yenagoa, the Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Seyi Omotowa, reaffirmed the company’s dedication to ensuring that the 3% Host Community Development Fund under the PIA is channeled into projects addressing critical needs such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure. He was represented by the Deputy Manager, External Relations, NUIMS, Mrs. Edith Lawson, who emphasized that collaboration among stakeholders is key to achieving lasting socio-economic development.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, commended the NNPC Ltd./FIRST E&P JV for sustaining its strategic partnership with the KEFFESO HCDT. He urged community leaders to foster peace and stability, warning that disruptions would hinder development efforts and the effective utilization of the allocated funds.
Similarly, the Executive Commissioner, Safety, Environment, and Community at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Captain John Tonlagha, who represented the Chief Executive Officer of NUPRC, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, described the institutionalization of the community development trust model as a transformative step for Nigeria’s petroleum sector. He highlighted its role in introducing governance, transparency, and accountability in community development initiatives.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Board’s Director of Legal Services, Barr. Naboth Onyesoh, commended the KEFFESO HCDT’s commitment to sustainable development and praised NUPRC for successfully incorporating over 100 Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) to drive socio-economic progress in the region.
The Managing Director of FIRST E&P, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, represented by Mr. John Alamu, lauded the KEFFESO HCDT for creating a platform that fosters dialogue, collaboration, and accountability. He urged other host community trusts to adopt KEFFESO’s model as a benchmark for success.
The Chairman of KEFFESO HCDT, His Royal Highness, Moses Theophilus, expressed gratitude to the NNPC Ltd./FIRST E&P JV for its proactive approach in ensuring host communities fully benefit from the PIA framework.
The session concluded with a collective call for sustained collaboration, with stakeholders emphasizing that the success of the PIA hinges on strong partnerships, peace, and a shared commitment to community development.
