The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission supervised the formal transfer of the OLO Oilfield Host Community Development Trust from TotalEnergies to Aradel Holdings PLC at a ceremony in Abuja on Friday.
Under the Petroleum Industry Act, operators of oil and gas assets in Nigeria are required to establish Host Community Development Trusts.
These trusts receive a statutory contribution of three per cent of the operator’s previous year’s operating expenditure to fund sustainable development in host communities.
The OLO/OLO West marginal field in the Eastern Niger Delta was previously operated by TotalEnergies before its acquisition by Aradel Holdings.
The handover of the host community trust responsibilities follows this change in field operatorship.
The handover ceremony took place at the headquarters of the NUPRC in Abuja and was attended by senior officials from the commission, executives from both TotalEnergies and Aradel Holdings, and representatives of the OLO host communities.
A statement from the commission said the transition ensures continuity in community development programmes and safeguards the interests of the host communities despite the change in operator.
The trust has enabled the completion of more than 100 projects covering water supply, electricity, road construction, education, and healthcare between 2023 and 2025.
Around 40 additional projects were reported to be ongoing, benefiting over 25,000 residents across the host communities.
TotalEnergies confirmed that it had met all its obligations under the trust up to the date of the transfer and that there were no outstanding liabilities.
Aradel Holdings has formally assumed responsibility as the new settlor, with regulatory consent from the NUPRC.
At the ceremony, Captain John Tonlagha, the NUPRC’s Executive Commissioner for Health, Safety, Environment and Community, said the trust’s governance structure will be preserved and that the commission will continue firm oversight to ensure compliance with statutory requirements.
Officials from TotalEnergies and Aradel Holdings addressed the audience. The General Manager, Community Affairs, Projects and Development at TotalEnergies, Dornu Kogam, encouraged the new operator to maintain a transparent, community‑centred approach.
Aradel’s Community Affairs Manager, Blessyn Okpowo, reiterated the company’s commitment to honouring all obligations under the Petroleum Industry Act.
The transfer of settlor responsibilities under the Host Community Development Trust framework allows the continuity of community development projects tied to the OLO Oilfield.
The NUPRC will maintain oversight to ensure ongoing compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act’s provisions.
