In a bid to promote transparency, environmental responsibility, and community inclusion, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA in collaboration with other civil society organisations, has convened a town hall on oil asset divestment in the Niger Delta Region.
The forum which brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on concerns surrounding oil divestment and its implications for host communities was themed “Strengthening Transparency, Environmental Responsibility and Community Participation in Oil Asset Divestment.”
In his opening remarks at the event which was held in Port Harcourt on Wednesday March 25, 2026, the Executive Secretary of HEDA Resource Centre, Mr. SULAIMAN ARIGBABU, emphasized that community inclusion remains critical in ensuring that divestment processes do not further disadvantage already impacted communities.
Mr. Sulaiman stressed that international best practices requires basic issues within the host communities to be addressed before divestment of oil assets can take place.
According to him such standards are often ignored in Nigeria leaving host communities in difficult conditions.
The Executive Secretary of HEDA added that the three percent allocation to host communities under the Petroleum Industry Act remains inadequate and poorly implemented due to the absence of inclusive structures for the Host Communities.
Also speaking at the event, the Director of Civil Litigation in the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Dr Ibiene Fubara-Mbano representing the State Attorney General, emphasized the need for proper environmental remediation, protection of community rights, and corporate accountability.
She maintained that inclusive dialogue among government, host communities, and industry players is key to achieving sustainable development in the Niger Delta region.
Reacting to questions and submissions made at the town hall, An Assistant Director at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Mr. Success Ikpe called for synergy between oil producing communities, civil society and regulatory agencies to ensure accountability and resolution of issues arising from oil asset divestment in the Niger Delta Region.
Mr. Ikpe said that NUPRC is actively engaging oil producing communities and oil companies in a bid to ensure that oil spillage and other forms of pollution are tackled.
Participants during the interactive dialogue talked about the implications of ongoing divestments by multinational oil companies, particularly the environmental and social responsibilities tied to such transitions, raising concerns over the need for proper accountability, remediation of polluted environments, and protection of the rights of host communities.
