The Pan Niger Delta Forum has called for an increase in the minimum derivation allocation to oil producing states from 13 per cent to 50 per cent, arguing that existing revenue arrangements do not adequately address the environmental and developmental costs of petroleum production.
The demand was contained in a communiqué following a meeting of the organization’s Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee in Abuja. National Chairman Godknows Igali said the region continued to face pollution, damaged livelihoods and infrastructure deficits despite decades of contributions to national oil and gas revenues.
PANDEF urged the Federal Government, the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the National Assembly to pursue the constitutional and legislative changes necessary for its proposal. It also called for the abolition of the onshore and offshore distinction in the treatment of petroleum resources for revenue purposes, arguing that coastal communities can suffer the effects of offshore operations regardless of where production occurs.
The forum announced a technical committee to engage the Federal Ministry of Works on the Lagos to Calabar Coastal Highway. It said the project should complement, rather than replace, improvements to the East West Road and other routes serving Niger Delta communities. It also advocated rail connections linking the region with the wider country.
On environmental remediation, PANDEF sought sustained funding for the Ogoni cleanup and a broader framework for restoring polluted communities, citing areas in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states. It called on 2027 presidential candidates to publish measurable plans for addressing environmental damage.
The organization welcomed plans to upgrade ports in Warri, Port Harcourt and Calabar, and called for financing arrangements for proposed deep sea ports. It said better maritime infrastructure could expand regional trade and create opportunities in the blue economy.
PANDEF also urged investment in natural gas processing, electricity, petrochemicals, modular refineries and agricultural value chains. It outlined proposals for a regional investment fund to support enterprise, infrastructure and employment.
The demand for 50 per cent derivation is a policy position advanced by PANDEF, not an enacted change. Its implementation would require negotiations over national revenue sharing and constitutional requirements, alongside safeguards to ensure that additional resources deliver visible benefits to affected communities.
