key points:
- Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Akwa Ibom are calling for the unbundling of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to improve efficiency and benefits for host communities.
- They also want a review of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to guarantee 40% representation for women, youths, and persons with disabilities in host community governance structures.
- The groups warned against treating gas flaring penalties as revenue, insisting on stricter enforcement of environmental accountability principles.
Main story
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Akwa Ibom State have called for the restructuring and unbundling of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to enhance regulatory efficiency and ensure better development outcomes for oil-producing communities.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day advocacy workshop for traditional rulers on impact assessments in oil-producing regions.
The document was jointly signed by Ayo Omowu, Head of Environmental and Conservation at the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, and Edidiong Dickson.
According to the CSOs, restructuring the upstream regulatory commission would allow for more focused oversight and improved service delivery to host communities affected by oil exploration activities.
They also urged the Federal Government to amend the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to ensure 40 per cent representation for women, youths and persons with disabilities within Host Community Development Trust governance structures.
The organisations further emphasised the need for stronger implementation of transparency and accountability provisions in the PIA, warning that weak enforcement undermines community trust in the oil sector.
The issues
Stakeholders highlighted long-standing concerns over environmental degradation, weak community representation, and inadequate implementation of oil sector reforms in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region.
They argued that regulatory inefficiencies within upstream governance structures have limited the extent to which host communities benefit from oil and gas operations.
The CSOs also raised concerns about gas flaring practices, noting that enforcement mechanisms remain weak despite existing penalties under environmental regulations.
What’s being said
The communiqué stated that unbundling the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission would improve regulatory focus and enhance outcomes for host communities.
The CSOs stressed that penalties for gas flaring should not be viewed as revenue generation tools but as deterrents aligned with the polluter-pays principle.
According to them, “The Federal Government should not see penalty for gas flaring as a revenue stream, as it violates the polluter-pays principle.”
They further argued that true environmental accountability requires reputational consequences for polluters, in addition to financial sanctions.
What’s next
The CSOs are expected to intensify advocacy engagements with lawmakers, regulators, and community leaders to push for reforms in the Petroleum Industry Act.
Attention is also likely to focus on legislative amendments that would strengthen host community participation in governance structures and improve environmental enforcement.
Stakeholders say sustained dialogue between government, industry players and civil society will be crucial to achieving meaningful reforms in the oil sector.
Bottom line
Civil society groups are pushing for major reforms in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum governance, insisting that restructuring the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and strengthening the Petroleum Industry Act will improve accountability, environmental protection, and benefits for host communities.
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