Petroleum Licensing Rounds and Community Consultation: A Case Study of Selected Oil Blocks in Rivers State

This study examines the extent to which community consultation is embedded in petroleum licensing rounds in Rivers State, South South Nigeria. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) mandates that host communities be informed and engaged before oil block allocations are finalised, yet reports of exclusion persist across oil-producing communities. Drawing on primary data collected through structured interviews with community leaders, legal practitioners, and regulatory officials in Port Harcourt and Bonny, this research evaluates compliance levels against the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021. Secondary data are sourced from NUPRC licensing records and published litigation outcomes between 2020 and 2024. Descriptive analysis is employed to categorise levels of compliance, and a case study methodology situates findings within real operational contexts. Preliminary observations suggest that consultation frameworks exist on paper but are poorly implemented during actual licensing procedures. This research contributes practical evidence for reforming licensing procedures in Nigeria's oil sector. It also offers policy-oriented recommendations for strengthening host community rights under the PIA. The outcomes are relevant to legal practitioners, regulatory bodies, and civil society organisations working on resource governance in Nigeria. Keywords: petroleum licensing, community consultation, Rivers State, PIA 2021, NUPRC.