The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPC Ltd.) has pledged its commitment to ensuring that funds allocated under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) are effectively utilised to drive meaningful development in oil-producing communities, especially in Bayelsa state.
This assurance was made by the Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Ltd., Mr. Seyi Omotowa, during a stakeholders’ engagement session with the KEFFESO Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.
The trust represents several oil-producing communities, including Koluama 1 and 2, Ezetu 1 and 2, Foropa, Fish Town, Ekeni, Sangana, Opu Okumbiri, Okumbiribeleu, and Oginibiri in Bayelsa.
Speaking through the Deputy Manager, External Relations at NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), Mrs. Edith Lawson, Omotowa emphasized that the company remains dedicated to ensuring that PIA funds are directed toward critical projects in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
He also highlighted the importance of collaboration among stakeholders in achieving lasting socio-economic development in oil-producing regions.
Petroleum Minister seeks stronger collaboration
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, commended the NNPC Ltd./FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (FIRST E&P) Joint Venture for maintaining a strategic partnership with the host communities.
- He urged community leaders to work together to sustain peace and stability, stressing that without peace, companies would struggle to operate, ultimately affecting the implementation of the three per cent Host Community Fund approved under the PIA.
- The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, represented by the Executive Commissioner for Safety, Environment, and Community, Captain John Tonlagha, described the institutionalization of the community development trust initiative as a defining moment in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
He noted that it introduced much-needed governance, transparency, and accountability in host community development efforts.
- Similarly, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, praised the KEFFESO HCDT for leveraging the PIA framework to drive sustainable development.
- Represented by the Board’s Director of Legal Services, Mr. Naboth Onyesoh, Ogbe also lauded the NUPRC for incorporating over 100 HCDTs to support socio-economic growth in the region.
- The Managing Director of FIRST E&P, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, represented by Mr. John Alamu, commended KEFFESO HCDT for fostering dialogue, collaboration, and accountability. He described the trust as a model that other host community development initiatives should emulate.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the KEFFESO HCDT, His Royal Highness, Moses Theophilus, expressed gratitude to NNPC Ltd. and FIRST E&P for ensuring that host communities benefit significantly from the PIA framework.
The forum concluded with a collective call for sustained collaboration among all stakeholders, emphasizing that the success of the PIA hinges on strong partnerships, peace, and a shared commitment to community development.
