Niger Delta Group Hails Tinubu, NUPRC for ‘Historic Transformation’ in Oil Host Communities
The Niger Delta Advancement Forum (NDAF) has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, for what it described as an “unprecedented transformation” in the welfare and development of oil-producing communities across the Niger Delta.
In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by Ebiowei Timipre, the forum’s president, NDAF commended the federal government and the NUPRC for driving what it called “the most transparent and impactful community development effort in the history of Nigeria’s oil industry.”
According to the group, the successful execution of 536 community projects under the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) framework represents a major milestone in the long-standing quest for equity, justice, and inclusion in the region.
“This marks a turning point in the decades-long struggle for justice and sustainable development in the Niger Delta,” Timipre said. “For the first time, oil host communities are directly benefitting from projects conceived, funded, and managed under a transparent legal structure that ensures accountability.”
The NDAF noted that the projects which span infrastructure, education, healthcare, and youth empowerment are spread across all oil-producing states, reflecting a fair and inclusive approach to development.
The forum lauded Gbenga Komolafe’s leadership at the NUPRC, describing his implementation of the Host Communities provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 as a “landmark achievement” that has begun to rebuild trust between oil firms and local communities.
Timipre added that under previous regimes, host communities were often sidelined in benefit-sharing arrangements, leading to unrest and distrust.
However, he said the new model under Tinubu’s administration ensures that communities now have statutory development trusts funded directly by oil companies, with oversight from the NUPRC.
“We are witnessing a new era where oil-producing communities are no longer spectators but stakeholders in Nigeria’s energy wealth,” the statement read. “This policy has brought peace, transparency, and hope to areas that once felt abandoned.”
The NDAF called on state governments, community leaders, and oil companies to sustain the momentum by ensuring that all Host Community Development Trusts are effectively managed and insulated from political interference.
The group also urged President Tinubu to continue supporting the NUPRC’s community-focused initiatives, saying they align with his administration’s broader agenda of inclusive growth and economic stability.
Observers note that the Host Community Development Trust scheme a key feature of the PIA mandates oil companies to contribute 3% of their annual operating expenditure to a fund dedicated to projects that directly benefit host communities.
With over 500 projects already completed or ongoing, analysts say the scheme could become a model for resource-based community development not just in Nigeria, but across Africa’s extractive regions.
