Gender and Petroleum Law: Women’s Access to Benefits Under the PIA 2021 in Ogoni Communities of Rivers State

This study examines the extent to which women in Ogoni communities of Rivers State, South South Nigeria, are positioned to benefit from provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, including Host Community Development Trusts and employment quotas. Despite formal legal recognition of community rights, gender-disaggregated data on petroleum benefit distribution in the Niger Delta remain scarce. The study employs a qualitative feminist legal analysis approach, drawing on in-depth interviews with twenty women from Eleme, Tai, and Gokana LGAs, supplemented by focus group discussions. Relevant sections of the PIA 2021, HCDT constitutions, and corporate social responsibility reports by operators in the area are also analysed. The findings reveal that governance structures within HCDTs are overwhelmingly male-dominated, limiting women's voice in project prioritisation and fund management. The research advocates for gender mainstreaming provisions in HCDT governance regulations and recommends that the NUPRC issue gender-sensitive guidelines for host community benefit distribution. These findings contribute to the literature on petroleum governance, gender equity, and legal reform in Nigeria. Keywords: gender, petroleum law, PIA 2021, Ogoni, host community trusts.