The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the interests of Nigeria’s oil-producing host communities, warning operators and relevant regulatory institutions against failing to meet their statutory obligations under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). The Chairman of RMAFC, Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, OFR, gave the assurance on Thursday, August 6, 2026, during an investigative hearing by the Commission’s Investment Monitoring Committee into the operations of Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company (SEEPCO) and the implementation of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) provisions of the PIA. The hearing was held at the new Boardroom of the Commission’s headquarters. Dr. Shehu described the exercise as an important national responsibility, commending members of the Investment Monitoring Committee for their diligence and urging them to remain resolute in the discharge of their mandate. He stressed that RMAFC’s constitutional responsibilities require firm oversight, transparency and accountability in the management of national revenue assets, expressing confidence that the investigation would strengthen public trust in the petroleum sector and ensure that host communities receive the benefits guaranteed to them under the PIA. Setting the tone for the proceedings, the Chairman of the Investment Monitoring Committee and Federal Commissioner representing Anambra State, Dr. Ekene Enefe, led an extensive investigation into SEEPCO’s compliance with statutory requirements governing Host Community Development Trusts. Dr. Enefe said host communities should no longer be left to bear the environmental and social consequences of oil exploration without corresponding development benefits. He reaffirmed the Committee’s determination to ensure full compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act, stressing that RMAFC would vigorously pursue its constitutional mandate to hold operators and relevant regulatory institutions accountable. The Committee expressed concern over SEEPCO’s repeated failure to honour invitations to appear before it despite previous engagements. Dr. Enefe warned that the Commission would not tolerate attempts by any operator to evade legitimate regulatory and constitutional oversight. Addressing the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), he stressed that RMAFC’s constitutional mandate empowers it to demand accountability from institutions operating within the petroleum value chain. He consequently directed NUPRC to immediately address concerns surrounding the Host Community Development Trust established for the affected communities. “We are going to give you 48 hours to dissolve that host community development trust,” Dr. Enefe declared. He also condemned what the Committee described as SEEPCO’s failure to meet its obligations to the host communities, issuing a firm ultimatum on outstanding payments. “We are going to write them and we are going to give them an ultimatum to pay up what is owed the host communities,” he said. Dr. Enefe further disclosed that the Committee would conclude its investigation and forward its findings to the appropriate authorities, assuring stakeholders that RMAFC would discharge its constitutional oversight responsibilities without fear or favour. NUPRC Presents Position Earlier, the NUPRC delegation, led by its Director of Host Communities, Mrs. Ufondu Ejiro, presented the regulator’s position on the implementation of Host Community Development Trusts under the Petroleum Industry Act. Mrs. Ejiro told the Committee that the Trust had been duly incorporated, funded and structured in line with the law. She explained that NUPRC had received and processed documentation relating to community consultations, governance structures, funding arrangements and Community Development Plans. She also presented records of contributions made to the Trust and maintained that NUPRC had carried out its responsibilities within the framework provided by the Petroleum Industry Act and the Host Community Development Regulations. However, counsel representing the affected host communities, Mr. Peter Chukwudi, Esq., disputed several of the submissions by NUPRC. He alleged that the communities did not recognise some of the persons presented as their representatives and questioned whether adequate consultations had been conducted before the constitution of the Host Community Development Trust. He also questioned the level of development in the affected communities despite years of oil production, urging the Committee to thoroughly investigate their concerns. Anambra Seeks Greater Transparency Also responding to the NUPRC presentation, the Anambra State Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Prof. Charles Ofoegbu, called for closer collaboration between NUPRC and the Anambra State Government in verifying community representation and monitoring compliance with statutory obligations. Prof. Ofoegbu urged greater transparency in the computation of statutory contributions, operational expenditure and the execution of community development projects. He stressed that the state government has a responsibility to safeguard the interests of its oil-producing communities. Other Federal Commissioners also contributed to the deliberations. The Federal Commissioner representing Rivers State, Amb. Desmond Akawor, observed that there appeared to be a disconnect between the regulator and affected state governments, stressing that effective oversight would require closer collaboration and direct engagement with operators. He expressed concern over SEEPCO’s absence from the hearing and urged all parties to cooperate fully with the Committee’s investigation. Similarly, the Federal Commissioner representing Kogi State, Hon. Abdulazeez Idris King, questioned the effectiveness of NUPRC’s verification process, noting that reliance solely on documents submitted by operators might not be sufficient to establish that genuine consultations had taken place with host communities. The Federal Commissioner representing Jigawa State, Hon. Hauwa Umar Aliyu, emphasised the need for regulatory agencies to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and impartiality in carrying out their statutory responsibilities. She stressed that regulators must inspire public confidence by ensuring that the interests of host communities receive equal attention alongside those of operators. At the end of the extensive deliberations, Dr. Enefe assured stakeholders that every submission and documentary evidence presented before the Committee would be carefully examined. He reiterated that the Investment Monitoring Committee would continue its investigation until all relevant facts were established and appropriate recommendations made in the interest of the Federation and the affected host communities. Present at the hearing were Federal Commissioners Hon. Aruviere Egharhevwa (Delta State), Hon. Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, MON (Kaduna State), Dr. Nathaniel Adojutelegan (Ondo State), and Senator Marafa Bashir Abba (Taraba State). Others included the Secretary to the Commission, Comrade Tosin Adeyanju, and Mrs. Zainab Larai Adamu, Director, Gas and Investment, RMAFC, who also serves as Secretary of the Investment Monitoring Committee. The hearing forms part of RMAFC’s ongoing oversight efforts to strengthen transparency, promote accountability and ensure that oil-producing host communities receive the benefits guaranteed to them under the Petroleum Industry Act.