Okoritak Community Still Relies on Contaminated Water Despite Oil Wealth

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Okoritak is an oil-producing community in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. It hosts nine oil and gas assets operated by some of Nigeria’s biggest energy companies. Despite this, the community still depends on water from a corked oil well for drinking and other household uses.

The community is calling for urgent help from the government and oil companies to solve its ongoing water crisis.

This demand came from a statement issued after a meeting attended by community members. The roundtable on sustainable development was supported by the Clement Isong Foundation and the Ibeno Youth Advocacy Network.

The meeting took place at the Ibeno Green Youth Hub in Ukpenekang, Ibeno. It gathered representatives from Host Community Development Trusts, government bodies, civil society groups, traditional leaders, and community members. They discussed practical ways to tackle the community’s long-standing development issues.

The meeting is part of a growing concern over the environmental and social conditions in Akwa Ibom’s oil-producing communities.

About Okoritak

Okoritak is one of the host communities for nine oil and gas assets run by major companies. These include Exxon Mobil’s Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater Ventures) which operates OML 139; Seplat Energy, which runs OMLs 67, 68, 70, and 104; Sterling Oil, operator of OML 13; NEPL/Oando operations also within OML 13; TotalEnergies, which operates OMLs 99 and 100; and Tulcan Energy Exploration and Production Company Limited, operator of Petroleum Prospecting Licence 244. Despite years of oil production and the establishment of Host Community Development Trusts by some companies, residents still struggle to access clean drinking water.

Residents in Okoritak rely on water from a corked oil well as their main source of drinking and domestic water. During a visit to the community in 2024, this reporter saw women, children, and other residents fetching water directly from the capped oil well. This shows the depth of the water crisis in the community, even with multiple oil and gas operations nearby.

The newspaper has reported on environmental issues in Akwa Ibom’s oil-producing areas. These include prolonged gas flaring in the neighbouring Onna Local Government Area, which has exposed residents to extreme heat, environmental damage, and health risks. This raises more concerns about the quality of life in these host communities.

Akwa Ibom: High Revenue, Slow Growth

This situation is even more worrying given Akwa Ibom’s finances. As one of Nigeria’s top oil-producing states, Akwa Ibom gets a large part of its revenue from the 13 percent oil derivation fund. PREMIUM TIMES reported that in the first 32 months of Governor Umo Eno’s administration, the state earned N2.53 trillion.

Ibeno Local Government Area, where Okoritak is located, is also not lacking in revenue. Reports from the Federation Account Allocation Committee show that from January to April 2026, the council received N1.914 billion, which averages N478.59 million monthly.

Despite this, participants at Thursday’s roundtable noted that Okoritak’s strong community leadership and unity have not solved the urgent problem of safe drinking water. This issue has serious effects on public health, sanitation, livelihoods, and economic growth.

They pointed out that the Host Community Development Trust framework under the Petroleum Industry Act can help meet infrastructure needs through careful planning, targeted investments, and teamwork among stakeholders.

The stakeholders stressed that developing Okoritak sustainably needs better collaboration among HCDTs, government agencies, traditional institutions, civil society groups, and residents. This would ensure that projects are community-driven, inclusive, and sustainable.

According to the statement, the IFUN Host Community Development Trust committed to doing a field assessment of the community to find immediate intervention opportunities.

IFUN stands for Ibeno, Frontier, Universal Energy, and Network.

The Ibeno/Seplat Host Community Development Trust also promised to review its development plans and consider Okoritak for future water projects after confirming that the community's water issues are still unresolved.

Likewise, the Oando/NEPL Host Community Development Trust reiterated that providing clean water is one of its main priorities and pledged to look into opportunities for improving water infrastructure in the community.

Participants also emphasized that women, young people, and other community members should take active roles in planning and monitoring development projects. This will help promote transparency, accountability, and long-term sustainability.

One of the resolutions from the meeting was a call for all Host Community Development Trusts in the Ibeno Local Government Area to prioritize investments in safe, sustainable drinking water. This is critical for improving residents’ well-being.

They also urged the Akwa Ibom State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, along with relevant ministries and agencies, to work closely with host community development trusts. This will help expand access to rural water infrastructure and other key social services.

The stakeholders believe that the commitments made during the roundtable could provide a solid starting point for solving Okoritak’s long-standing water crisis if there is real action to back them up.