The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has been urged to strengthen gender inclusivity in the operations of Host Communities Development Trusts (HCDTs) to ensure women’s equal participation in decision-making and implementation under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities Development Trust, Hon. Dumnamene Deekor, made the call on Monday during the 2026 Host Communities Development Forum organised by Policy Alert in collaboration with the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives in Port Harcourt.
The forum, themed “Public Presentation of the Gender-Aware Host Communities Development Index,” brought together stakeholders from government, civil society and host communities to review the implementation of the PIA’s host communities component.
Deekor said while the PIA refers broadly to persons, which includes both men and women, cultural and traditional practices have often limited women’s participation in governance structures within host communities.
He urged the NUPRC to use its regulatory powers to ensure that women are adequately represented in the management of HCDTs.
“When we say persons, we refer to both men and women. But in our social space, for reasons of tradition and culture, this has not always translated into practice. This often places one gender at a disadvantage,” he said.
He added that the regulator has the authority through subsidiary legislation to address gaps in the principal Act and ensure that women are given prominent roles in managing host community development initiatives.
Deekor also highlighted several challenges affecting the implementation of the PIA, including delays in establishing HCDTs beyond the 12-month timeframe stipulated in Section 236 of the Act.
He called on the NUPRC to clearly communicate revised timelines and penalties for further delays.
The lawmaker further raised concerns over boundary disputes in littoral states, urging the Nigerian Boundary Commission to expedite work on delineating community boundaries to reduce delays in trust formation.
He also recommended a review of Section 235(3) of the PIA, proposing that the NUPRC establish a standardised process for allocating company funds to coastal communities rather than leaving the determination solely to settlors.
Other issues he mentioned include the need for improved transparency in operational expenditure (OPEX) calculations by oil and gas companies, clearer reporting mechanisms to community members, and explicit penalties for companies that fail to comply with their obligations under the HCDT framework.
Deekor further disclosed that the House committee is considering amendments to Section 257(2) of the PIA, which currently allows host communities to lose their entitlements if oil and gas facilities are vandalised.
According to him, the provision unfairly penalises communities for actions that may be carried out by third parties.
“Host communities are partners in these operations. If they receive their statutory benefits as provided in the law, they are unlikely to support vandalism,” he said.
Executive Director of Policy Alert, Tijah Bolton-Akpan, also called for greater transparency, accountability and social inclusion in implementing the host communities component of the PIA.
Bolton-Akpan said that although the PIA was enacted in 2021 to ensure host communities benefit from oil and gas operations, implementation has not fully met expectations.
He explained that Policy Alert and its partners developed the Gender-Aware Host Communities Development Index to assess how well the law is being implemented.
According to him, the index evaluates four key areas: governance and accountability, gender and social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and energy transition readiness.
He warned that oil-producing communities must begin preparing for the global transition away from fossil fuels, noting that revenues from oil and gas may not remain indefinitely.
“The Niger Delta and other oil-producing states are at a critical turning point. The windfall from oil resources will not last forever due to global energy transition trends,” he said.
Bolton-Akpan added that the index was developed after extensive research involving 79 documents, 49 policy frameworks and consultations with 127 stakeholders.
Speaking on behalf of the NUPRC, the commission’s representative, Success Ikpe, said the regulator remains committed to ensuring transparency, accountability and inclusivity in the management of HCDTs.
Ikpe noted that the PIA introduced a structured framework to ensure host communities benefit directly from upstream petroleum operations through socio-economic development projects, environmental management and capacity building.
He said the commission has incorporated more than 156 Host Community Development Trusts across oil-producing areas and has deployed a digital platform, HostComply, to improve monitoring and transparency in fund administration.
Ikpe added that the NUPRC encourages continuous dialogue between operators, HCDT boards, traditional institutions and youth groups to prevent conflicts and promote peaceful coexistence.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Hon. Musa Sarkin, represented by Stephen Akpan, emphasised the importance of gender equality in appointing members of HCDT boards.
He noted that while the PIA requires trustees to be persons of integrity and professional standing from host communities, the Act does not provide specific gender quotas.
However, he said the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Host Community Development Regulations 2022 provide guidance encouraging diversity and inclusivity in appointments.
Stakeholders at the forum agreed that strengthening governance structures, promoting transparency and ensuring the inclusion of women and vulnerable groups are critical to achieving sustainable development in Nigeria’s oil-producing communities.
