Stakeholders Assess Impact of PIA, Urge Inclusivity

 Omolabake Fasogbon

Stakeholders in the oil sector have expressed concerns about inadequate governance structure and inclusion lapses in the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), citing negative implications. 

The stakeholders made their observations during a webinar with the theme, ‘Navigating the Shift – Essential Implementation Insights for Businesses’. 

The webinar paved the way for key stakeholders to share insight on how PIA implementation has impacted Nigeria’s oil sector and  communities, at the same time charted, solutions.

During the meeting, Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya, joined other panelists to decry the significant governance gap in PIA implementation, despite efforts towards a coordinated approach. 

“There is an absence of a coordinated and comprehensive strategy to guide the process. This is a major concern, given the stakeholder-driven nature of the plan, involving civil society, companies, and government. 

Ogbonnaya maintained that  a clear strategy remained sacrosanct to guarantee transparency and accountability, warning that its absence may cause agencies to shy away from these values. 

The Director of CSR-in-Action, Meka Olowola who referenced  research by his organisation and supported by the Ford Foundation highlighted lapses in PIA as gender imbalance in leadership roles, inadequate needs assessments by oil companies, and lack of awareness among communities about the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) framework within communities.  

“This crucial research highlights the need to include these groups in the broader narrative of Nigeria’s oil and gas reform”, he stated.