CSR-in-Action carried out a research to evaluate the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA)’s implementation in Nigeria, with a focus on women’s participation in oil-producing areas in the states of Akwa Ibom, Delta, and Rivers. The research, which included focus groups, key informant interviews, and structured surveys, revealed a low degree of community support provision implementation, with 70.6 percent of respondents citing insufficient action. Merely 35.7 percent of the respondents were aware of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) advisory committees, and only 8 percent were participating in community committees. Awareness of the PIA and involvement in related community activities were equally minimal.
Only 36.2% of respondents acknowledged the presence of women on these committees, indicating a very low level of female representation. Moreover, it was noted that females were not included at all in oil business operations or decision-making processes, especially in Delta State. The study noted gains in family production, income, health, education, and Environmental Stewardship where women were included, highlighting the possible advantages of involving women in economic and community decision-making. Nonetheless, major obstacles to women’s inclusion were found to include issues including cultural norms, ignorance, and financial limitations.
Raising awareness and educating people about the PIA.
To maximize the advantages of women’s inclusion in these communities, the report suggested raising awareness and educating people about the PIA, advocating gender-inclusive policies, assisting females in achieving economic empowerment, fostering cultural changes, and bolstering the representation of females in leadership positions within the community. A local fish merchant in Akwa Ibom State named Mrs. Iniobong talked about her experience with Mobil’s community activities in the Ekpene village. She recalled how Mobil’s assistance raised her family’s standard of living and production by giving them access to cutting-edge fish farming methods.
With her fish sales now bringing in 30% more money, Iniobong is able to send her kids to school and enhance their overall health and wellbeing. On the other hand, a Farmer named Mrs. Ese in the Delta State hamlet of Ugborodo explained how many other female farmers, including herself, lack access to vital resources due to the lack of women in positions of decision-making. She faces diminishing yields as a result of environmental damage and oil spills, despite the presence of Shell and Chevron. These problems are frequently disregarded because there are few females on community committees.
Mrs. Ese expressed her dissatisfaction about the lack of inclusion.
As she pointed out, women in her neighbourhood are seldom engaged on issues that directly affect their livelihoods. Mrs. Ese expressed her dissatisfaction about the lack of inclusion. Communities with differing degrees of women’s inclusion are shown to differ significantly from one another. There is a discernible improvement in household productivity, income, and general community well-being in Akwa Ibom when females like Mrs. Iniobong participate in economic activities and decision-making processes. For example, better health outcomes and more income were reported by 28.5% of respondents in the Ekpene community as benefits of Mobil’s programs.
On the other hand, the social and economic advantages are noticeably less evident in the Delta State community of Oleh, where hardly 5% of respondents stated that females participate in oil business operations. The town has not witnessed much change in economic conditions despite the presence of large oil corporations, and just 9% of men and 22% of women are aware of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). The results of this study highlight how urgently the gender inclusion clauses of the PIA need to be enforced.
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Additionally, to guarantee that oil corporations and community leaders follow these laws, the Nigerian government needs to be proactive. For female representation on community committees and decision-making organizations, this may entail establishing precise, enforceable quotas. To further ensure that stakeholders are held responsible and to evaluate the success of these inclusion initiatives, the government should establish ongoing monitoring and assessment procedures. In addition, these communities need to provide women with focused financial and educational assistance. Along with efforts to empower females economically through vocational training, the government might implement microfinance programs specifically designed for them. To encourage widespread participation, these programs must to be made accessible, especially to those with less formal education.