SDN Launches Platform to Monitor Niger Delta HCDTs

The Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) launched an independent digital platform to monitor the implementation of Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) across the Niger Delta. This initiative, unveiled during a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, aims to strengthen transparency, accountability, and community participation in fund management as established by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

SDN's Country Director, Florenc Ibok Abasi, emphasized the importance of real-time information for evidence-based decision-making and the need for a robust monitoring system to sustain gains and address existing challenges. Despite the establishment of 140 trusts, Hon Dumnamen Dekor, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, expressed concerns over delays, leadership disputes, and poor coordination affecting the expected development outcomes.

The committee plans to intensify oversight of HCDTs until July 2026 to ensure accountability in fund management and tangible benefits for oil-producing communities.