PANDEF Demands Fair Share of Oil Assets for Niger Delta

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has called on the Federal Government to reserve a significant percentage of oil blocks and marginal fields for companies owned by Niger Deltans, citing decades of environmental degradation and economic exclusion in the region.
The position was contained in a statement signed by PANDEF National Publicity Secretary, Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini, in Abuja. The forum expressed concern over the continued hardship faced by communities in the oil-rich region despite Nigeria’s enormous earnings from crude oil and gas resources.
According to the statement, communities across Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states continue to suffer from pollution, gas flaring and the destruction of their ecosystems, leading to poor living conditions and serious health challenges. It noted that many rivers and underground water sources in the region remain polluted without adequate remediation, raising concerns over the benefits accruing to host communities.
PANDEF also called for greater transparency in the management and utilisation of gas flare penalties, insisting that the funds should be directed towards tackling environmental and developmental challenges in the Niger Delta. It maintained that the people of the region have not received benefits commensurate with the resources extracted from their land, describing the situation as an injustice requiring urgent government intervention.
The forum further urged the Federal Government to conduct a comprehensive audit of previous commercial bid rounds carried out by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to ensure transparency and accountability in the allocation of oil blocks. It advocated reserving at least 60 per cent of future oil blocks and marginal fields for Niger Delta-owned companies to promote inclusion and strengthen the sense of ownership among host communities.
PANDEF also called for the establishment of a legal framework to regulate and support artisanal refining activities in the Niger Delta, arguing that local refiners should be integrated into the nation’s energy value chain rather than being treated solely as illegal operators. It stressed that addressing environmental concerns, promoting local participation in the oil and gas industry and ensuring equitable distribution of benefits are essential to achieving lasting peace and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.