NNPC pledges effective use of PIA funds for host community development

NNPC Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that funds allocated under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) are effectively utilised to deliver meaningful development in host communities.

This pledge, according to a statement signed by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer (CCCO) of NNPC Limited, Olufemi Soneye, was made during a stakeholder engagement session held with the KEFFESO Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT). This cluster of host communities comprises Koluama 1 and 2, Ezetu 1 and 2, Foropa, Fish Town, Ekeni, Sangana, Opu Okumbiri, Okumbiribeleu, and Oginibiri in Bayelsa State, under the NNPC Limited/FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (FIRST E&P) joint venture (JV), over the weekend.

Speaking at the engagement session held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Limited, Engr. Seyi Omotowa, stated that NNPC Limited was committed to ensuring that funds approved for the development of host communities under the PIA are channelled towards projects that address critical needs such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Omotowa, who was represented by the Deputy Manager, External Relations, NUIMS, Mrs Edith Lawson, stressed that collaboration between stakeholders was essential to achieving lasting socio-economic development.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, in his remarks, commended the NNPC Limited/FIRST E&P JV for sustaining its strategic partnership with KEFFESO HCDT and urged community leaders to work together to ensure peace and stability in their communities.

Lokpobiri emphasised that without peace, companies would struggle to operate effectively, ultimately impacting the 3% Host Community Fund approved under the PIA for development initiatives.

Also speaking at the event, 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 the NUPRC, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, commended the institutionalisation of the community development trust initiative. He described it as a defining moment in Nigeria’s petroleum sector, introducing much-needed governance, transparency, and accountability in community development efforts.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr Felix Omatsola Ogbe, who was represented by the Board’s Director of Legal Services, Barr. Naboth Onyesoh, praised the KEFFESO HCDT for its commitment to driving sustainable development through the PIA framework. He also commended the NUPRC for successfully incorporating over 100 Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) to support socio-economic growth in the region.

Similarly, the Managing Director of FIRST E&P, Mr Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, who was represented by Mr John Alamu, lauded the KEFFESO HCDT for creating a platform that encourages dialogue, collaboration, and accountability. He described it as a model for other host community development trusts to emulate.

The Chairman of the KEFFESO HCDT, His Royal Highness Moses Theophilus, applauded the NNPC Limited/FIRST E&P JV for its proactive steps in ensuring that the KEFFESO communities benefit significantly from the PIA framework.

The forum concluded with a collective call for sustained collaboration, emphasising that the success of the PIA depends on strong partnerships, peace, and a shared commitment to community development.

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