A coalition of civil society organisations under the aegis of the Niger Delta Advancement Forum (NDAF) has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for what it described as “the most transparent and impactful community development effort in Nigeria’s oil history.”

The commendation comes on the heels of the successful execution of 536 community projects across oil-producing states through the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT), an initiative backed by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Turning point for the Niger Delta

In a statement released on Wednesday, NDAF President Comrade Ebiowei Timipre said the implementation of the PIA and the transparent management of host community funds mark “a turning point in the long struggle for equity, justice, and inclusion in the Niger Delta.”

He lauded President Tinubu’s “unprecedented political will” in empowering the NUPRC to enforce the PIA, which had long remained dormant under past administrations.

“For decades, host communities were left with unfulfilled promises and abandoned projects,” Timipre said. “But under President Tinubu, the story has changed. Through the visionary leadership of Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, the oil wealth of the Niger Delta is now being channelled into schools, hospitals, roads, and livelihoods for our people.”

₦373 billion fund and digital transparency According to verified NUPRC records cited by the group, as of October 13, 2025, the Host Community Development Trust Fund had reached ₦373 billion in contributions from oil companies operating under the PIA, a milestone NDAF described as “a historic leap in fiscal accountability.”

Timipre said this achievement reflects President Tinubu’s reform-driven governance and Komolafe’s effective regulatory leadership.

“Under Komolafe’s watch, NUPRC has become a model of how regulation should work, firm, transparent, and community-centred,” he noted.

He further highlighted the Commission’s HostComply digital dashboard, which tracks all deposits and disbursements to host community funds, eliminating the opacity and corruption that previously plagued oil sector interventions.

Real impact on oil communities

The forum spotlighted remarkable progress in Rivers State, where NUPRC facilitated the completion of over ten projects and the launch of another ten under the Obagi HCDT operated by TotalEnergies.

These include hospitals, educational facilities, and road infrastructure that directly improve rural livelihoods. Timipre described these results as “proof that Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is producing measurable outcomes in the oil region.”

He added that the collaboration between the presidency and NUPRC has “given new meaning to resource justice.”

Renewed confidence and a promise for 2027

The NDAF urged oil companies to remain committed to the three per cent operating expenditure contribution required by the PIA, assuring them that the current administration has restored transparency and trust to the system.

“For once, the Niger Delta is seeing the dividends of oil,” Timipre declared. “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.”