In a historic stride toward strengthening disability-inclusive governance in Nigeria’s oil-rich region, the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) on December 1, 2025, convened a landmark meeting in Port Harcourt for the formal presentation of the Nine Niger Delta Regional Demand Charter.
The high-level gathering brought together stakeholders from across the nine oil-producing states to address a persistent gap in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2022—its silence on the participation and benefit entitlements of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) within host communities.
Despite the PIA’s far-reaching provisions for various sectors, disability inclusion remains largely overlooked. Recognizing this critical omission, CCD mobilized an influential coalition comprising representatives of Persons with Disabilities, host community chairpersons, oil industry experts, legal practitioners, government ministries and agencies, and respected traditional rulers. The convening, supported by the Ford Foundation, was designed to harmonize voices and build a unified front to ensure PWDs are not left behind in the PIA’s benefit architecture.
Speaking at the event, the Acting Director of CCD, Mr. Godwin Unumeri, revealed the meticulous process that led to the development of the regional charter.
According to him, “What we have done at the CCD is that we’ve taken the nine separate state-level demand charters developed by persons with disabilities and combined them into a single document. We’ve identified the commonalities among all these demand charters and articulated them into a unified document, which we are going to present today.”
The workshop witnessed robust discussions as representatives from Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Edo, Cross River, Ondo, Abia, and Imo States thoroughly examined the consolidated document. Participants contributed diverse insights grounded in real community experiences, ensuring that the charter reflects both the immediate and long-term priorities of PWDs living in oil-producing areas.
The resulting regional charter is positioned to become the principal document formally submitted to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). It outlines the expectations, needs, and strategic recommendations for integrating persons with disabilities into the socio-economic benefits, development frameworks, and host community structures outlined in the PIA.
Stakeholders at the meeting expressed optimism that the charter will serve as a turning point in the advocacy for disability inclusion in the Niger Delta’s oil and gas sector. The collective effort, they noted, signals the determination of PWDs and their allies to influence policy reforms and demand equitable access to resources, opportunities, and protections.
As the session drew to a close, participants reaffirmed their confidence that the issues affecting PWDs are now more effectively spotlighted and strategically embedded within the broader implementation plans of the Petroleum Industry Act. The unified demand charter, they agreed, is not just a document but a bold statement of inclusion, equity, and justice—one that places the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities at the forefront of the region’s development discourse.
With this milestone, CCD and its partners have taken a significant step toward ensuring that no disability is left behind as the Niger Delta charts a more inclusive and sustainable future.
