Community Involvement

CandidOil Services Limited involves host Communities in its projects through effective communication.

Candid Oil Services Limited maintains strong, respectful, and collaborative relationships with its host communities through structured and continuous engagement. We work closely with clan heads, traditional rulers, chiefs, and other recognized community representatives to foster mutual understanding, cooperation, and the peaceful execution of our projects.

As part of our community engagement framework, CandidOil appoints Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) from each host community. These officers serve as a critical communication bridge between the company and the community, supporting effective information flow, stakeholder coordination, and local participation. CLOs are often engaged in project-related support roles such as store assistance, timekeeping, and administrative coordination, thereby promoting inclusion, capacity building, and shared project ownership.

We proactively identify key community stakeholders and invest in trust-based relationships that encourage open, transparent, and constructive dialogue. Our Community Relations framework is designed to ensure a two-way flow of information grounded in honesty, shared understanding, and full disclosure.

Through deliberate, planned, and sustained engagement, CandidOil’s Community Relations Officers consistently work to maintain cordial relationships with community leadership. This collaborative approach helps ensure harmony, mutual confidence, and minimal disruption during project execution.

Proactive Resolution Of Dispute / Misunderstanding

CandidOil adopts a proactive, structured, and experience-driven approach to identifying, managing, and resolving potential disputes or misunderstandings within host communities. Based on operational experience and environmental assessments, the following issues are anticipated and addressed through early engagement and effective community relations mechanisms:

Non-violent occupation of work sites by community members that may result in temporary operational shutdowns.

Violent disruption or stoppage of work activities.

Requests for employment opportunities for qualified indigenes of host communities.

Demands for allocation of labour, supply, or service contracts to local vendors and contractors.

Demands for allocation of labour, supply, or service contracts to local vendors and contractors.

Claims relating to environmental impact or alleged operational damage.

Non-violent work stoppages or protests by project personnel.

Seizure of equipment or unlawful detention of personnel by community youths.

Through continuous stakeholder engagement, transparent communication, and the deployment of trained Community Relations Officers, CandidOil works to prevent escalation, address grievances promptly, and ensure the safe and uninterrupted execution of its operations.

A Community Leader
A Community Leader

Conflict Resolution and Stakeholder Escalation Framework

CandidOil Services Limited adopts peaceful, lawful, and constructive approaches in resolving community-related issues, with the primary objective of ensuring minimal or no disruption to project schedules. By maintaining a clear understanding of the project environment, we proactively identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks that may impact operations.

In situations involving broader or more complex conflicts, CandidOil engages relevant stakeholders—including Local Government Authorities, Traditional Rulers, Clan Heads, and respected community leaders—to facilitate dialogue and achieve amicable resolutions.

Where the scale or nature of a conflict exceeds CandidOil’s capacity to resolve independently, the Client is promptly informed. Subject to the Client’s guidance and approval, support may be sought from appropriate authorities, including the State Government, the Department of Petroleum Resources, and the Nigeria Police Force, to ensure lawful, safe, and effective resolution.