The Rivers State Government, in collaboration with the Centre for Advanced Law Research, Rivers State University (RSU), and F1 Team Associates, is set to host a two-day sensitization programme on the host community development provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

The programme, scheduled for September 22 and 23, 2025, in Port Harcourt, aims to educate local government officials and other stakeholders on the PIA’s provisions and their implications for host communities.

Speaking during a media briefing on Friday, Lead Consultant at F1 Team Associates, Jude Ndubuisi, described the PIA, enacted in 2021, as a landmark legislation consolidating existing petroleum industry laws.

He highlighted the Act’s focus on community development through the establishment of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) and governing boards to oversee its implementation.

“This initiative seeks to bridge the knowledge gap on the PIA, particularly among local government officials, who play a critical role in interfacing with host communities,” Ndubuisi said.

“By empowering these officials with robust and authoritative knowledge of the Act, we hope to facilitate its smooth implementation in Rivers State.”

He added that the sensitization will ensure local councils, being closest to oil-producing communities, are better equipped to engage with the Host Community Development Trusts and align with the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Host Communities Development Regulations, 2022.

Professor Kato Gogo Kingston, Professor of Petroleum, Energy & Natural Resource Law at RSU, explained that the PIA’s 3% allocation is not a direct cash distribution but is dedicated to community development projects.

“The 3% is meant to fund projects based on proper needs assessments, whether that means providing boreholes, building schools, or other critical infrastructure, through the Host Community Development Trust,” Kingston said.

Also speaking, Professor Sam Dike, Professor of Energy & Comparative Environmental Law at RSU, assured participants that the programme would clarify grey areas in the PIA and provide deeper insights into its provisions.

He said more experts will share their perspectives during the event, giving participants a comprehensive understanding of the Act’s applications and benefits for host communities.