Host Communities Convergence Issues Strong Call for Transparency, Inclusion and Remediation in Implementation of Host Communities Development Trusts (HCDTs)
- Kebetkache
- Oct 30
- 3 min read
Delegates from across Nigeria’s oil-producing regions concluded a powerful two-day National Convergence on Host Communities Development Trusts (HCDTs) convened by the Power of Voices / Fair For All Coalition with support from Oxfam in Nigeria. The convergence—bringing together community representatives, traditional leaders, women and youth, civil society organisations, regulators, settlors, development partners and the media—issued a decisive set of observations, resolutions and demands to ensure that the promise of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 is realised in practice: transparency, inclusivity, gender equity and true community ownership of Trust resources.
After rigorous plenaries, technical sessions, field research presentations and community storytelling, participants unanimously agreed that the HCDT framework currently risks becoming an instrument of exclusion and elite capture unless urgent corrective measures are put in place. The convergence recorded deep concerns about weak regulatory oversight, poor public awareness, governance gaps, political interference, rising conflict risks, environmental neglect and the exclusion of women, youth and persons with disabilities from meaningful participation.
Key Findings from the Convergence –
Low public awareness of HCDT objectives, operations and benefits is fuelling misinformation and mistrust in host communities.
Regulatory oversight is weak: monitoring, enforcement and reporting need strengthening, and NUPRC must play a more proactive role.
Gender and social exclusion persist: women, youth and marginalised groups remain under-represented across trust governance structures.
Opaque governance and elite capture compromise legitimacy, exacerbate tensions and increase the risk of localised conflict.
Environmental remediation and climate resilience are largely absent from Trust project design and investment priorities.
Resolutions & Urgent Demands
Participants resolved to mobilise for immediate reforms and to engage all stakeholders in implementing concrete measures, including:
Transparent Governance & Financial Accountability
Establish transparent trustee selection processes with mandatory community endorsement and regulatory approval.
Publish annual audited financial statements, project lists and detailed disclosures of the three percent OPEX funds allocated to HCDTs.
Mandate independent third-party audits and community validation of completed projects.
NUPRC should create a central digital HCDT register accessible to all stakeholders and enforce sanctions for misuse of funds.
Gender, Youth & Disability Inclusion
Institutionalise a minimum 35–40% quota for women and youth on all HCDT boards and management committees.
Require gender-responsive budgeting and dedicated funding for women-led and youth-focused initiatives.
Mainstream disability inclusion and ensure physical and programmatic accessibility.
Conflict Prevention & Community Dialogue
Establish Community Dialogue and Mediation Platforms (CDMPs) in every host community.
Integrate robust grievance-handling frameworks and train trustees and community leaders in conflict-sensitive development.
Environmental Remediation & Sustainable Development
Prioritise HCDT investments for forensic clean-up, renewable energy, mangrove restoration and climate-resilient livelihoods.
Require every Trust to adopt a five-year sustainable development plan aligned with the SDGs and local priorities.
Capacity Building & Learning Networks
Launch a National Capacity-Building Programme for trustees, community representatives and regulators on governance, financial management and participatory planning.
Establish peer-learning exchanges and a National HCDT Stakeholders Forum to harmonise practices and share lessons.
Legal & Policy Reforms
Urge the National Assembly to review and amend the PIA to embed social inclusion, clarify roles, and strengthen penalties for mismanagement.
Develop a Host Communities Development Reform Policy to institutionalise minimum standards, inter-sectoral coordination and long-term sustainability.
Calls to Action
To the Federal Government & National Assembly: Prioritise statutory reforms to close implementation gaps in the PIA, and ensure legislative oversight and constituency engagement with host communities.
To NUPRC: Immediately strengthen regulatory capacity, publish a national dashboard of Trust performance, and require full disclosure of settlors’ OPEX contributions.
To Settlors (Oil & Gas Companies): Respect community autonomy, disclose annual funding, commit to timely and transparent payments, and fund environmental remediation as a priority.
To State & Local Governments: Integrate HCDT plans into local development frameworks, and complement Trust investments with essential infrastructure and social services.
To Traditional Leaders & Community Institutions: Champion transparency, mediate fairly and ensure inclusive leadership.
To Civil Society & Media: Continue civic education, independent monitoring and public-interest reporting to hold Trusts accountable.
The Host Communities Convergence affirmed that the HCDT offers a genuine opportunity to reset relations between extractive industries and host communities — but only if it is implemented in a spirit of transparency, inclusion, gender equity and community ownership. The time to act is now. Communities will hold duty-bearers accountable; they will not accept processes that deepen inequality or entrench elite capture.
Signed: Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Connected Development (CODE); The BudgIT Foundation; Kebetkache Women Development & Resource Centre; Niger Delta Budget Monitoring Group; STEPS; Policy Alert; OXFAM in Nigeria.
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