Niger Delta Stakeholders Laud Tinubu, NUPRC On Host Community Projects

A coalition of civil society organisations under the aegis of the Niger Delta Advancement Forum (NDAF) has commended President Bola Tinubu and the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr. Gbenga Komolafe over community development efforts in the Niger Delta.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by its president, Comrade Ebiowei Timipre, the group said the successful execution of 536 community projects across oil-bearing states through the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) marks “a turning point in the long struggle for equity, justice, and inclusion in the Niger Delta”.

Timipre said President Tinubu’s administration had shown “unprecedented political will” by empowering the NUPRC to enforce the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which had long remained dormant under previous governments.

“For decades, host communities were left with unfulfilled promises and abandoned projects, but under President Tinubu, the story has changed. Through the visionary leadership of Engr. Komolafe at NUPRC, we are finally seeing the oil wealth of the Niger Delta being channelled into schools, hospitals, roads, and livelihoods for our people,” he said.

The group noted that the Commission, acting under Tinubu’s directive to prioritise local development, has ensured that all projects are executed transparently and simultaneously across multiple states, creating a model of inclusive progress.

Citing verified records from the Commission, NDAF revealed that as of October 13, 2025, the Host Community Development Trust Fund had risen to ₦373 billion contributed by oil companies operating under the PIA. It described the figures as “a historic leap in fiscal accountability” and a clear sign that the President’s reforms are working.

“President Tinubu’s insistence on reform-driven governance has given the PIA a new life. And under Komolafe’s watch, the NUPRC has become a model of how regulation should work — firm, transparent, and community-centred,” Timipre said.

He noted that the Commission’s HostComply digital dashboard, which monitors all deposits and disbursements to host community funds, had eliminated the opacity that once plagued oil industry interventions.

The group particularly praised the transformation recorded in Rivers State, where NUPRC recently facilitated the delivery of more than ten projects and flagged off another ten under the Obagi HCDT operated by TotalEnergies. These include hospitals, roads, and education facilities that directly benefit rural dwellers.

Timipre described the results as “proof that Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is producing measurable outcomes in the oil region,” adding that “the synergy between the presidency and NUPRC has given new meaning to resource justice”.

He urged oil companies to remain faithful to the three per cent operating expenditure contribution required under the PIA, assuring them that the current administration had restored trust in the system.

“For once, the Niger Delta is seeing the dividends of oil. What past governments could not achieve in decades is now being delivered under President Tinubu’s watch. We’re grateful to the President and the Niger Delta shall return the Favour in 2027,” Timipre declared.