Uche Cecil Izuora
The inaugural oil industry Host Community Summit, HostComm which is bringing together key industry players is expected to develop and build scalable funding models for community infrastructure.
HostComm is a platform created by a consortium of three Oil and Gas industry focused organisations comprising Caritas Communications Limited, Africa Oil+Gas Report (AOGR) and Pedestal Africa.
HostComm as the forum is named is a decisive move to bridge the gap between regulatory mandates and ground-level execution.
Under the theme “Building Trust, Creating Shared Value and Sustaining Development,” the HostComm Summit scheduled for August 09-10, 2027 in Lagos, will confront the critical operational, financial, and governance challenges of host community engagement head-on. The summit moves the narrative beyond theoretical discourse, focusing on actionable solutions, conflict resolution, and bankable community development models.
As Nigeria’s energy sector navigates the practical enforcement of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, the HostComm Summit serves as the definitive national platform to turn regulatory compliance into sustained operational harmony and shared prosperity.
The Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) framework under the PIA 2021 isn’t just a legal requirement; it is the bedrock of the industry’s social license to operate across upstream, midstream, and downstream assets.
“Sustainable energy production requires more than capital and hardware; it demands absolute alignment with host communities. The HostComm Summit is structured to de-risk investments, hold stakeholders accountable, and ensure the 3 per cent OPEX capital allocated to trusts in the PIA yields measurable, long-term impact.”
The summit will showcase operational excellence as it is a direct platform for oil, gas, and energy operators to benchmark success, highlight high-impact HCDT initiatives, and refine community engagement strategies.
The summit brings together financial institutions, private equity, development finance institutions (DFIs), and ESG experts to build scalable funding models for community infrastructure.
It is a platform for direct, high-level engagement involving operators, regulators, traditional institutions, and host community leadership to streamline governance and mitigate dispute risks.
The event will establish strategies for service companies, EPC contractors, and local vendors to integrate host community capacity into the broader energy value chain.
The summit brings together decision-makers shaping the future of West Africa’s energy landscape which includes upstream, midstream & downstream operators (CEOs, Asset Managers, External Affairs & Sustainable Development Executives), government policy makers & industry regulators among others.