Uyo, Nigeria – September 9, 2025 – Policy Alert is proud to announce the launch of AGILE (Advancing Gender, Innovation, and Local Engagement in Nigeria’s HCDTs), a transformative project designed to promote gender-responsive governance in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. AGILE is funded by the Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), a flagship program of the Government of Canada, whose support underscores a shared commitment to equity, innovation, and participatory governance in Nigeria’s natural resource sector.
This project comes at a critical time, as the country seeks to realize the full potential of recent reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), particularly the establishment of Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs). Despite these reforms, women in oil-producing communities continue to face systemic exclusion from decision-making platforms meant to ensure equitable benefit-sharing and environmental justice. While HCDTs were created to empower local communities in managing petroleum derived resources, they remain overwhelmingly male-dominated. Women, who bear the greatest burden of environmental degradation, economic dislocation, and corruption, have been largely left out of processes that directly affect their lives and livelihoods.
Project AGILE seeks to change this narrative by building the capacity of women leaders across two key oil-producing states; Rivers, and Akwa Ibom. These women will receive comprehensive training on the PIA, HCDT governance structures, environmental rights, public budget tracking, and community mobilization strategies. Upon completion, they will form two State Women Action Groups (SWAGs) to serve as powerful advocacy forces for transparency, inclusion, and gender justice within HCDT operations.
“Women are not just victims of oil sector injustices—they are leaders, organizers, and change agents,” said Tijah Bolton-Akpan, Executive Director of Policy Alert. “AGILE is about unlocking that leadership and ensuring that women have a real seat at the table where decisions about their communities’ futures are made.”
The project will also support the development of gender accountability benchmarks for HCDTs, providing civil society and community monitors with tools to track performance and demand reforms. By combining grassroots empowerment with institutional advocacy, AGILE aims to transform HCDTs into truly inclusive and effective vehicles for sustainable development.
“For too long, women in host communities have been silenced in conversations about resource allocation and environmental accountability. With AGILE, we are not only equipping women with knowledge and tools, they are becoming architects of change. This project will shift power dynamics and ensure that gender equity is embedded in the DNA of HCDT governance” said Edidiong Dickson, the AGILE project lead.
As Nigeria continues its journey toward transparent and inclusive oil governance, projects like AGILE offer a roadmap for ensuring that no one, especially women and marginalized groups, is left behind.
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For media inquiries, or further information, please contact:
Abasiama Cyril,
Communications Officer
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0701 093 8024
