- Niger Delta Group Rejects Claim of ₦1trn Loss Over PIA Implementation.
- Group warns lawmakers against political statements harming investor confidence.
- West says reforms strengthening oversight and restoring oil sector stability.
The Niger Delta Accountability and Resource Protection Network has dismissed claims by the House of Representatives Committee on the South South Development Commission alleging that the non-implementation of key Petroleum Industry Act funds has deprived the Niger Delta of more than ₦1 trillion.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the group’s president, Ebikabo West, issued a statement on Friday rejecting the committee’s position, describing its assertions as “sensational, misleading and potentially damaging to the investment stabilisation the PIA has steadily cultivated”.
He said the PIA’s implementation, especially in managing host community development funds and environmental obligations, has been more transparent and impactful than any system used before the law came into effect.
West cautioned lawmakers against politically charged statements that could “erode investor confidence or disrupt the delicate progress achieved so far”. He insisted it was “simply inaccurate to suggest that the Niger Delta has been denied trillions because the funds are not being operated in the dramatic fashion being portrayed”. According to him, the PIA’s host community provisions are now rigorously monitored, with clear oversight, traceability and stronger compliance mechanisms.
He argued that the narrative of “non-implementation” ignores ongoing, verifiable progress across host communities and environmental management. West also warned against “weaponising environmental concerns or misrepresenting regulatory processes”, stressing that such actions weaken reforms and undermine the struggle for environmental justice.
He added that Nigeria is gradually restoring the confidence of multinational oil companies that previously left due to years of regulatory instability and conflicting directives. West said the country now enjoys a more stable legislative and fiscal environment, urging that relevant agencies be allowed to carry out their mandates strictly under the PIA without “political theatrics”.
He concluded that while the National Assembly’s oversight role remains essential, it must be evidence-based and not driven by assumptions capable of creating confusion or tension in the industry.
