The Technical Assistant to the Senate Committee on Oil, Mineral and Gas Host Communities, Engr. Ikiba-ye-Emine Tiyeinabeso, has called on international oil companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria to emulate the approach of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited (RAEC) in the practical and faithful implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) in their engagement with host communities.
Tiyeinabeso, who made the call yesterday while speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt, commended RAEC, formerly Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), for what he described as a deliberate, structured, and forward-looking approach to Host Community engagement under the PIA, marking a clear departure from the limitations associated with the erstwhile global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) framework.
According to him, the PIA represents a watershed reform designed to correct decades of systemic exclusion, weak community agreements, and poor transparency that fueled agitation and instability in Nigeria’s oil-producing regions.
“The Petroleum Industry Act clearly establishes Host Communities as critical stakeholders in the oil and gas value chain. When implemented in both letter and spirit, it becomes a powerful instrument for peace-building, trust-building, and sustainable development,” Tiyeinabeso stated.
He emphasised that faithful implementation of the PIA, as envisioned by the President and the National Assembly, remains a vital pathway to long-term peace, economic growth, and social stability in the Niger Delta and other producing areas.
“What we are witnessing with RAEC demonstrates that when operators align their business decisions with the intent of the PIA—particularly in the areas of Host Community Development Trusts, Operating Expenditure (OPEX), Capital Expenditure (CAPEX), and Field Development Plans (FDPs), supported by inclusive governance—everyone benefits: the communities, the operators, and the nation at large,” he added.
Tiyeinabeso further noted that the PIA should not be viewed merely as a regulatory obligation, but as a strategic framework for conflict prevention, asset protection, and production sustainability, stressing that communities that feel respected, included, and fairly treated are more inclined to protect critical oil and gas infrastructure.
He urged other IOCs to move beyond token compliance and fully integrate Field Development Plans (FDPs) across their Greenfield and Brownfield operations, including within their EPCIC and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) contracting structures, in a manner that prioritises Community participation; Capacity building; Local content development; and Transparent, participatory governance, as prescribed under the PIA.
Reaffirming the position of the National Assembly, Engr. Tiyeinabeso stated that the Senate Committee on Oil, Mineral and Gas Host Communities remains committed to robust oversight, continuous dialogue, and sustained stakeholder engagement to ensure that the objectives of the PIA are fully realised.
“Our mandate is to ensure that Host Communities do not merely hear about the PIA, but genuinely feel its impact. When companies do the right thing—as we are beginning to see in some cases—it creates a win-win outcome for government, operators, and communities alike,” he said.
He expressed optimism that broader compliance by IOCs would usher in a new era of stability, mutual trust, and shared prosperity across Nigeria’s oil-producing regions.
Extending compliments of the season to all E&P, EPCIC, and O&M service contractors, he noted that this progress coincides with the ongoing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Renaissance Energy and its Host Communities, which is currently being consolidated around Field Development Plans, following the replacement of the Freedom to Operate (FTO) framework.
“I believe this represents the appropriate approach and a clear step in the right direction. By 2026, this engagement will be placed in the spotlight as a model for how meaningful, structured, and inclusive collaboration with Host Communities should be executed in line with global best practices and the Petroleum Industry Act,” he concluded.
SOURCE: LEADERSHIP NEWS PAPER
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