PINL STRENGTHENS PIPELINE SECURITY THROUGH STRATEGIC STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

 

By Dr Helen Chimezie

 

In a bid to reinforce its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, and enhance security along the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) convened a stakeholder engagement meeting aimed at reviewing its CSR interventions, assessing progress, and gathering feedback from community stakeholders from Rivers, Imo and Abia States, for continuous improvement.

The event, which took place in Port Harcourt on Monday, 31 March 2025, brought together key stakeholders on the TNP corridor, including Local Government Chairmen, Community chiefs, women leaders, and youth leaders, to openly dialogue on PINL’s CSR impact in host communities.

Speaking at the event, PINL’s Community Relations Consultant, Dr Akpos Mezeh, said pipeline surveillance is intelligence -driven, and they get reliable intelligence from the communities.

“So far, the support from the communities have been wonderful. And we think that there is no better way to appreciate the efforts of the communities, than organizing a forum like this, where we can collectively review how far we have gone, for the purpose of continuous improvement, because we believe that we have not gotten to where we ought to.

“We believe that there are grey areas that we need to iron out, for us to improve, that is why we have decided to organize this meeting.”

Dr. Mezeh led attendees through a PowerPoint presentation on PINL's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) interventions in host communities along the Trans Niger Pipeline corridor.

PINL’s CSR interventions span several areas, including youth empowerment, monthly stipends to community leaders, palliative distribution and flood mitigation actions.

He emphasized that these initiatives are not only aimed at fulfilling the company’s social responsibility but also at mitigating factors that drive individuals to engage in pipeline vandalism. “We understand that economic hardship and lack of opportunities contribute to illegal activities around pipeline infrastructure. Our goal is to empower communities in ways that reduce such risks,” Dr Mezeh stated.

During the PowerPoint presentation session, Dr. Mezeh disclosed that PINL conducted a needs assessment across its host communities, to identify priority areas for Corporate Social Responsibility interventions.

This according to him, led to the planning of various developmental projects such as; skills acquisition, scholarship, free medical outreach programmes, and infrastructural projects such as electricity provision, with the aim to enhance community development and improve the quality of life for residents.

A crucial part of the stakeholders engagement meeting was the ‘feedback from stakeholders’ segment, where community leaders and other stakeholders provided insights into the effectiveness of PINL’s interventions and areas that require improvement.

Some participants commended the company’s efforts, citing visible improvements in social amenities, while others highlighted the need for deeper community engagement and more long-term economic opportunities to ensure sustained impact.

Ukwa West LGA Chairman of Abia State, Pastor Dike Nwankwo expressed delight that the meeting is an avenue for feedback, while appealing to PINL and the federal government, that his people should be remembered for empowerment, as they are the only oil producing LGA in Abia State.

On the sideline, Pastor Nwankwo pointed out that PINL has done well, because it is the first time the company is organizing a successful stakeholders meeting. However, he expressed his desire for the company to enhance its efforts.

He narrated that: “Some of these pipeline communities, we have nothing to show since the inception of oil exploration in our area, so PINL should attract some federal projects to the communities.

“Last year, I still remember, there was a time Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited shared some forms for skills acquisition, about 5 forms per community. From last year to date, nobody has heard anything about it any longer. Whether they have abandoned it, or it is still in the making, nobody knows.”

Speaking further, the LGA boss affirmed that communities are ever ready to partner with PINL for the safety of all the pipelines.

Sharing his key takeaways from the event, he stated that he has now understood that his community will benefit more from the federal government, if only they ensure that nobody tampers with oil facilities.

On his part, the leader of the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Dr Kennedy Tonjo-West, said the engagement is apt, and does not end in pipeline surveillance or security, but what lies for the people of the Niger Delta.

The Chairman of the traditional rulers council in Tai Local Government Area, decried that the people of the Niger Delta region has suffered a lot, owing to their God given natural resources, while submitting that locals should operate the oil in their respective domain.

“We are asking, give us our line, let us operate it, and make the benefits,” he said.

A representative of the Ekpeye ethnic nationality, Ada Ekpeye Logbo II, Dr Patricia Ogbonnaya noted that their opinions in the meeting should not be dropped at the end of the event, but should be used for better community relations with oil producing host communities.

She assured that, “ Ekpeye is a peaceful nation. The pipeline that transverses our area is safe.” 

Another stakeholder, the Secretary General of the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, Maobuye Nangi Obu lamented on the rape of the Niger Delta. He hinted that there is a bigger fight in the Niger Delta, and the National Security Adviser should advice President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that Shell company should not be allowed to leave Nigeria, without doing what is right.

In response to the feedback, PINL reaffirmed its commitment to refining its CSR strategies to ensure maximum impact. The company pledged to integrate stakeholders suggestions into its planning and execution processes while strengthening already existing collaborations to enhance development efforts.

PINL Community Relations consultant reiterated, “This engagement is not just about reporting what we have done, but about listening, learning, and making improvements that align with community needs. We are dedicated to a CSR approach that delivers real value and ensures the protection of pipeline infrastructure.”

Beyond CSR interventions, the meeting also emphasized the role of host communities in safeguarding critical national assets. Participants underscored the need for sustained collaboration between PINL, security agencies, and community stakeholders to prevent pipeline vandalism and oil theft.

Attendees at the event commended PINL for taking proactive steps toward addressing socio-economic drivers of pipeline infractions, by engaging communities constructively and investing in their development.

As part of its next steps, PINL announced plans to conduct periodic assessments of its CSR projects and host more engagement sessions to track progress and refine its strategies. The company also reiterated its call for greater collaboration among stakeholders to foster peace, security, and sustainable development in pipeline-hosting communities.

This latest engagement, reaffirms the company’s position as a socially responsible entity dedicated to community development and pipeline security, setting a model for other industry players to follow.

 

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