Abuja:The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has launched a National Multi-Stakeholder Platform aimed at addressing the governance gaps in Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) and supporting the effective implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act in the Niger Delta.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the platform seeks to unite communities, regulators, oil companies, and civil society to advance the accountability and climate-responsive development outlined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). This initiative is part of PIND’s CONNECT Project, carried out in partnership with the Ford Foundation, which involves HCDTs, communities, state governments, civil society organizations, and various partners in the petroleum sector.
Anne Ihugba, Manager of Knowledge Management and Communications at PIND, stated that the project is designed to strengthen engagement through structured dialogue, evidence sharing, and coordinated action. The platform will focus on addressing practical challenges, including HCDT governance, regulatory collaboration, transparency, community participation, climate-responsive development planning, conflict sensitivity, and evidence-based decision-making.
PIND Executive Director, Mr. Sam Daibo, emphasized that the platform’s purpose is to deliver tangible action rather than merely serving as a forum for discussion. He highlighted that the CONNECT Project builds on the learnings from PIND’s earlier Bridges Project and aims to scale tested approaches for community-led development.
Prof. Obafemi Ajibola, a board member of PIND, commented on the necessity of sustained collaboration to translate the Petroleum Industry Act’s host-community provisions into stronger institutions and visible development results. He noted that the platform provides a shared mechanism to identify challenges, learn across sectors, and agree on actions to strengthen trust, accountability, and delivery.
The platform will operate through a Plenary, Steering Committee, and time-bound Technical Working Groups, with PIND serving as the secretariat to support coordination, documentation, and action tracking. State-level engagements and technical reviews are expected to follow as the CONNECT Project progresses.