…dismiss allegations of ineffectiveness, financial recklessness
The House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities has passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), citing improvements in crude oil production, pipeline surveillance, and the protection of oil and gas infrastructure.
The lawmakers announced the decision on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, after reviewing PINL’s pipeline surveillance contract and its reported impact on crude oil production, security, and community development in the Niger Delta.
The committee also dismissed allegations of ineffectiveness and financial recklessness against PINL, adopting the findings of its technical subcommittee, which concluded that the allegations were not substantiated by the evidence presented during its investigation.
The technical subcommittee presented its report at a special sitting of the committee following an investigation into a petition concerning PINL’s pipeline surveillance contract.
It recommended that the petition be dismissed in its entirety, stating that the allegations against the company were not supported by the evidence examined during the proceedings.
Speaking on the outcome, Chairman of the House Committee on Host Communities, Hon. Dekor Dumnamere, reaffirmed the House’s commitment to fairness, accountability, and due process in carrying out its legislative responsibilities.
Dumnamere said the committee received the petition dated September 5, 2026, and referred it to a technical subcommittee for a thorough and impartial review.
He said the committee had assured all parties of a fair hearing in line with the Rules of the House, emphasizing the need for accountability in the management of public resources, protection of critical national assets, effective pipeline surveillance, and the welfare of host communities.
The chairman commended the technical subcommittee for its work, noting that allegations presented to the legislature must be properly examined before conclusions are reached.
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The lawmakers also considered crude oil production figures attributed to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in assessing the broader impact of pipeline surveillance operations.
According to the figures, crude oil production stood at approximately 1.50 million barrels per day in August 2026, while output, including condensates, was about 1.68 million barrels per day.
Average production reportedly rose from approximately 1.388 million barrels per day in the first quarter of 2026 to 1.525 million barrels per day in the second quarter.
The committee said the increase was significant to efforts to boost oil production and protect critical infrastructure.
It also highlighted PINL’s reported contributions to pipeline security and community development, particularly in Nigeria’s Eastern Corridor, where surveillance operations play a role in maintaining security in oil-producing areas.
The technical subcommittee’s report documented the employment of more than 35,600 youths as pipeline surveillance guards, providing livelihood opportunities for young people in the company’s operational areas.
It also cited PINL’s educational interventions, including more than 5,000 scholarships awarded to undergraduate and postgraduate students from host communities.
The initiatives include a N2 billion scholarship programme for 1,500 students across Bayelsa, Rivers, Abia and Imo states. In Bayelsa, 600 beneficiaries reportedly received scholarships ranging from N500,000 to N1 million each.
The committee further recognised the company’s skills acquisition and economic empowerment programs for women and girls, which have reportedly trained more than 4,000 beneficiaries in vocational trades and small-business development.
Under its Women’s Skills Development and Enterprise Programme, PINL targeted 2,000 women and girls across 215 host communities. The programme also included 1,000 women in Bayelsa State who received N250,000 each.
The report also highlighted PINL’s humanitarian interventions, including the distribution of relief materials to more than 10 communities in Rivers State affected by the 2022 and 2023 floods.
Other interventions included food bank services and palliative support for host communities and pipeline surveillance personnel across the company’s operational areas.
According to the report, the initiatives encourage community participation in protecting oil and gas infrastructure by giving residents a greater stake in securing facilities within their communities.
The technical subcommittee consequently recommended that PINL be commended for its reported role in stabilising crude oil production in the Eastern Corridor.
It also urged the Federal Government to sustain the company’s operational deployment and consider extending its activities to consolidate gains in pipeline security, youth employment and community engagement.
The subcommittee said the measures would support the government’s target of increasing crude oil production to between 2.5 million and three million barrels per day.