Over the past four years, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has received recognition for its participation in carrying out host community initiatives throughout the oil-producing region.
The Niger Delta Citizens Alliance (NDCA) stated in a statement released on Tuesday by its President, Kingsley Charles, and Secretary-General, Ogbobetta Nelli, that the Commission had advanced through the Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) established under the Petroleum Industry Act.
The Commission has overseen over 500 projects in oil-producing states and the ₦373 billion Host Community Development Fund, according to the NDCA.
The group claims that the projects include skill centers, schools, hospitals, and water infrastructure in states including Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, and Akwa Ibom. It further stated that the projects had strengthened links between communities and oil firms.
Additionally, the group emphasized the Commission’s HostComply dashboard, which it claimed has made project money publicly available and traceable. According to NDCA, the platform has improved project delivery accountability and decreased financial diversion.
Oil companies in the area were asked by the NDCA to continue fulfilling their responsibilities under the Petroleum Industry Act, especially the three percent yearly contribution to the Host Community Development Trust Fund.
It stated that maintaining trust with communities that produce oil and sustaining ongoing projects required such compliance.
The group commemorated NUPRC’s fourth anniversary by describing the Commission as an organization that, since its founding in 2021, has supervised community-focused development initiatives.
