Communities in
Nigeria’s restive Niger Delta will receive an estimated $600 million in
annual dividends as part of efforts to improve security under reforms
currently before parliament, the oil ministry said on Tuesday.
“Direct
payments of dividends to oil-producing communities will be established
to address the Niger Delta crisis and make communities key
stakeholders, with incentives to protect oil and gas facilities in
their areas,” Oil Minister, Deziani Allison-Madueke, said in a speech
delivered on her behalf.
“Over $600 million is estimated as annual
dividend payments to be disbursed to the communities hosting
oil-and-gas-producing facilities or directly impacted by the
operations,” she said in the speech, delivered at an oil and gas
conference in Abuja.
