The Niger Delta Accountability and Resource Protection Network (NDARPN) has challenged recent claims by the House of Representatives Committee on the South South Development Commission that Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) funds have left the region shortchanged by over ₦1 trillion.
In a statement on Friday, NDARPN President Comrade Ebikabo West described the committee’s assertions as “sensational, misleading and potentially damaging to the investment stabilisation the PIA has steadily cultivated.”
West stressed that the implementation of the PIA by relevant regulatory bodies, particularly regarding host community development funds and environmental obligations, has been more transparent and impactful than previous frameworks. He cautioned lawmakers against issuing statements that could “erode investor confidence or disrupt the delicate progress achieved so far.”
“It is 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,” West said. “The host communities development provisions of the PIA are being effectively and rigorously monitored, with clear oversight and traceability.”
According to NDARPN, the PIA now enforces regulatory compliance mechanisms far stronger than pre-PIA regimes, ensuring that communities benefit directly while environmental obligations are actively managed. West warned that misrepresenting regulatory processes could undermine both reforms and the ongoing fight for environmental justice.
He also noted that Nigeria is gradually rebuilding investor confidence after years of regulatory uncertainty and institutional challenges, and that politicising oversight risks derailing these gains.
“After decades of instability, Nigeria now offers a stable legislative and fiscal environment,” West said. “It is wise to allow the relevant agencies to operate strictly within the dictates of the PIA. Political theatrics will only jeopardise progress.”
NDARPN concluded that while the National Assembly’s oversight is crucial, it must be evidence-based. “The Niger Delta needs consolidation, not disruption. Let the institutions empowered by the PIA continue their work. That is the surest path to accountability, environmental protection, and sustainable development,” West advised.
