Policy Alert criticizes Niger Delta HCDTs for poor preparedness for energy transition and lack of women representation on boards

The civil society organization Policy Alert has raised concerns over the inability of Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) across the Niger Delta to develop a robust strategy for the inevitable transition to cleaner energy.

The group also criticized the limited participation of women in board management of most Trusts. HCDTs, created under the Petroleum Industry Act, are intended to channel oil wealth into local community development.

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Executive Director of Policy Alert, Tjah Bolton-Akpan, shared these findings at the public presentation of the 2026 Gender Aware Host Communities Development Index in Port Harcourt.

The assessment, covering 18 Trusts in Rivers State and Akwa Ibom State, evaluated governance, gender inclusion, environmental sustainability, and energy transition preparedness.

Bolton-Akpan noted that while a few Trusts operate with professional boards and transparent reporting, many still face challenges with opacity and weak governance.

He also revealed that only one Trust had up to 40% of its board positions occupied by women.

Policy Alert urged stakeholders to tackle governance issues, funding inconsistencies, and transparency practices to ensure HCDTs deliver meaningful community development.

The forum called for regulatory reviews to establish board quotas for women and dedicated budgets for women-focused projects.

Dumnamene Robinson Dekor, Chairman of the House Committee on Host Communities, reiterated the National Assembly’s commitment to ensuring the Petroleum Industry Act benefits host communities.

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Meanwhile, Edidiong Dickson, Programme Lead for Energy, Extractive and Climate Justice at Policy Alert, emphasized that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) should leverage the Index to strengthen HCDT governance.