The Coastal Development Initiative.

PNI's Coastal Development Initiative seeks to pacify and develop the coastal corridor by building more community-based, development orientated institutions and creating the capacity which they need in order to be both viable and sustainable.  PNI Nigeria was Highly Commended in the Small Company Social Excellence Award for the Coastal Development Initiative.

Read the Full Article: From the Niger Delta: A Coastal Development Initiative

The CDI currently incorporates PNI facilitated programmes in the Akassa Kingdom, Eastern Obolo LGA, Opobo-Nkoro LGA, Oron Nation and Bonny LGA. The programmes are supported by Statoil, TOTAL Nigeria (EO and ON) and Nexen. A pilot, 'confidence building' phase of a sixth programme in Bonny LGA (Rivers State) has also been completed. The possible inclusion of Brass LGA into the CDI would mean that almost half of all coastal communities in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa state are now participating to some degree. This has resulted in a sustained improvement in local conditions, the introduction of transparent decision making, a reduction in conflict and increased security for industrial operations.

The CDI has demonstrated that investments in community-led social development can be successful in the Niger Delta, when a coordinated partnering approach is taken, bringing multiple stakeholders together around a common interest and towards a common goal.

PNI's objectives include extending its model to all "whole communities"(entire Local Government Areas, rather than just select "host communities") along the Niger Delta's important coastline. Traditionally the coast has been neglected, forming a corridor of conflict in which communities have often fought and killed for the meager benefits available to them. Today, as Nigeria's oil-industry moves off-shore it is in everybody's interest that it should become a corridor of peace.