The Bridges Project

In 2022, PIND aimed to support the implementation of the community engagement component of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). In collaboration with the Ford Foundation, it initiated the Bridges Project, with the core objective to facilitate cooperation and active participation in the implementation process among communities, non‑governmental organizations (NGOs), oil and gas companies, and government entities. The Project targets five Niger Delta states, which are the epicenter of oil production Akwa‑Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo, and Rivers.

In 2023, the Project started with awareness creation and knowledge‑deepening workshops to sensitize stakeholders from the HostCommunity Development Trusts (HCDTs) in oil‑ producing communities on their roles, expectations, and responsibilities under the PIA dispensation. This activity was followed by capacity‑building workshops for non-governmental and community‑based organizations to equip them with the requisite knowledge and tools to deliver effective services related to the requirements of the PIA to settlers and communities.

Finally, the Bridges Project inaugurated a Multi‑Stakeholders Platform (MSP) that comprises thirty carefully selected experts and critical stakeholders representing host communities, settlors, civil society, and government to provide good examples of models that can help the HCDTs operate successfully and guide the community structures in executing the required processes that will help lay the foundation for their successful take‑off.