Opinion
That Petroleum Industry Bill
When the Draft Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) was produced by the Oil and Gas Sector Reform Implementation Committee (OGIC) and approved by the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) in July, 2005, many Nigerians felt that the right step had been taken for the growth and development of the oil and gas industry in the country. But even with the excitement that greeted the draft Bill, it was only after Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua had emerged as President in May 2007 and reconstituted the OGIC under the chairmanship of Dr. Rilwanu Lukeman that action was concluded on the Bill which was later sent to the National Assembly (NASS) for consideration and passage into law.
Now years have past since the Bill was forwarded to the National Assembly, but it is still all rhetoric. In his keynote address delivered on the occasion of the consultative forum for all stakeholders on the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill, the former Petroleum Minister, Dr. Rilwanu Lukeman, said: “The PIB represents the largest overhall of the government petroleum revenue system in the last four decades. This overhall has four central objectives: To simplify the collection of government revenues; to cream off windfall profits in case of high oil prices; to collect more revenues from large profitable fields in the deep off-shore waters; and to create Nigerian employment and business opportunities, by encouraging investment in small oil and gas fields.”
According to him, the Bill will achieve the objectives of aligning the oil and gas industry to international best practices. And it will also enhance good governance practices and procedures, re-inforce linkages between the oil and gas industry and other sectors of the Nigerian economy, establish a fiscal framework that is strong in the interest of Nigeria, and support the energy objectives of government enshrined in the seven point agenda.
To Dr. Lukman, the Bill establishes clear rules, procedures, and institutions for the administration of the petroleum industry in Nigeria and reflects the changing dynamics of the industry worldwide.
In recognition of the prospect of the Bill to propel the Nigerian economy to prosperity, the new petroleum minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Maduekwe has been pushing the proposed law for a quick approval by NASS. In a lecture held last week in Lagos on the Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry, she said: “The PIB is long and in-depth bill, a historic, critical and extensive Bill encompassing the 16 hitherto existing laws with the oil and gas industry. One of the major benefits of this bill is that transparency in the oil and gas industry would be achieved. The oil and gas industry has been characterised by too much opaqueness, extreme level of confidentiality. This bill would remove opaqueness in the scale that has never been seen. Data would be accessible for all interested individuals”. From all indications, the Bill when passed into law will improve the general efficiency and effectiveness of the sector.
It has been reported that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has also realised that the Bill is critical to the growth and development of the nation.
So, if the Bill is a critical factor in the country’s journey to becoming a strong and self-reliant nation, why has it taken this long to be passed into law?
The travail of the Bill has been blamed on several factors including the despicable moves by the International oil companies (IOCs) and other beneficiaries of the perverse and shady deals in the oil and gas sector to sabotage all efforts at making the proposed law see the light of the day.
Apparently the hurdles on the way of the Bill are being cleared by President Jonathan’s administration. And as indicated by Mrs. Alison-Maduekwe, expectations are high that the Bill would be ready for the President’s signature by next month.
But whether the Bill is based on the best legislative and administrative instruments and principles governing the petroleum industry across the world or provides the needed panacea for Nigeria’s development problems, it must be seen to address the core concerns of the Niger Delta region.
These concerns have long been known. Despite its tremendous natural and human resources base that has continued to serve as an engine of growth and development for the Nigerian nation, the region has remained poor, backward, and neglected. Its potential for sustainable development has remained unfulfilled and its future is being threatened by environmental degradation and deteriorating economic conditions which are not being adequately addressed by past and present policies and actions. The region is also concerned about the insensitivity of the oil companies, loss of traditional occupation of the people, dispossession of natural right to ownership of the oil bearing communities by the Nigerian state, and the total exclusion of the indigenes from most management functions of virtually all sections of the oil industry.
Daily, terrible changes are being effected in the various elements of the physical environment of the Niger Delta. And both in the short and long run, we must expect some drastic consequences to result from these changes being caused by the mindless activities of the oil companies that have interferred with and disturbed the purely natural environment of the Niger Delta. Whether these changes will take the localised form of destructive landslides, wiping out the oil bearing communities, flood, or induced regional earthquake, only time will tell.
It should be noted that without the Niger Delta and its petroleum deposit, the Nigerian nation would not contemplate having any Petroleum Industry Bill or Law.
Therefore, in the spirit of fair play, equity, and natural justice, these concerns and the resolution of the development dilemma of the Niger Delta should form the major plank of the Petroleum Industry Bill, not just the abracadabra principles, legal, and regulatory framework, and institutions and sale of oil and gas which nature has graciously endowed the region with.
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Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
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