CNL, Varsity Don Urge Delta Journalists To Report Oil, Gas Sector Accurately
By Theophilus Onojeghen
Chevron Nigeria Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to continued investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, while urging journalists to recognise the enormous power of their reports to influence markets, investors and public perception.
The General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr. Oduselu Olusoga, stated this during a one-day workshop on oil and gas reporting organised for the Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Olusoga, who was represented by the Manager, Communications, Dr. Anyaegbudike Victor, stressed that what journalists publish about Nigeria can have consequences far beyond the country’s borders.
He urged journalists covering the oil and gas industry to appreciate that seemingly small reports could trigger reactions in international markets, particularly because Nigeria’s energy sector is closely connected to the global economy.
“What you say in Nigeria can affect what’s happening in New York. That’s how it works,” he said.
According to him, reports suggesting major disruptions to oil and gas operations or community development programmes could affect investor confidence and potentially influence market behaviour.
He therefore charged journalists to ensure that their reports were accurate, balanced and properly contextualised, stressing that responsible reporting remained critical to sustaining confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The CNL executive said the media remained an important partner to the company because of its ability to shape public understanding of the industry, its operations and its contributions to host communities.
He explained that Chevron’s engagement with communities was anchored on partnerships, transparency and accountability, with investments extending beyond oil production to community development and economic empowerment.
Olusoga said the company had continued to support development initiatives in its host communities, noting that such interventions were designed to create sustainable benefits rather than short-term publicity.
He also highlighted the company’s commitment to gas development and efforts to reduce gas flaring through gas-gathering and pipeline projects.
According to him, gas remains central to Nigeria’s energy transition and the country’s drive to maximise the value of its natural resources.
He said Chevron was also exploring opportunities to sustain and increase production while attracting investment into Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Olusoga said the company was particularly encouraged by the growing investment opportunities in the country’s upstream sector, noting that new projects and exploration activities could generate significant economic benefits if supported by a stable investment environment.
He stressed the importance of collaboration between government, oil companies and host communities in ensuring that investments in the Niger Delta translated into tangible development.
The CNL representative also highlighted the company’s engagement with local contractors and Nigerian workers, noting that the oil and gas industry had created opportunities for thousands of Nigerians, particularly those from the Niger Delta.
He said the company had also continued to work with communities on development projects, with emphasis on partnership and community ownership.
Olusoga urged journalists to go beyond reporting production figures and corporate announcements by examining the wider economic, social and community implications of activities in the oil and gas sector.
He said responsible journalism could help strengthen relationships among oil companies, government and host communities while also providing the public with reliable information about the industry’s contribution to national development.
The workshop, he said, was therefore part of efforts to deepen understanding between the oil and gas industry and the media, particularly journalists operating in the Niger Delta.
He urged participants to use their platforms to promote informed public discourse and ensure that reports on the sector were based on facts rather than speculation.
“What you say in Nigeria can affect what’s happening in New York,” he reiterated, emphasising the global implications of energy reporting.
He said Chevron remained committed to partnership, performance and sustainable development, adding that the company would continue to engage stakeholders and support initiatives capable of improving the lives of people in its host communities.
he Chairman of the Delta State Council of the NUJ, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, challenged journalists to acquire deeper knowledge of the oil and gas industry to enable them report the sector with accuracy and authority.
Oyowe made the call in his welcome address at the workshop themed “Enhancing Professional Skills and Ethical Standards in Oil and Gas Journalism,” held at the NUJ Press Centre, Maryam Babangida Way, Asaba, on Monday, August 24, 2026.
He said oil and gas journalism was too important to be reduced to routine event reporting, given the sector’s central role in Nigeria’s economy, energy security and national development.
“As journalists, our responsibility goes beyond reporting events. We are expected to provide the public with accurate, balanced, credible and well-contextualised information,” Oyowe said.
He said reporting on the sector requires journalists to understand its value chain, regulatory framework, environmental concerns, community relations, energy transition, and the economic issues surrounding oil and gas.
“It also requires a strong commitment to professional ethics, accuracy and fairness,” he added.
Oyowe said the workshop provided an opportunity for journalists to strengthen their knowledge and sharpen their professional skills, particularly in interpreting complex technical information and asking the right questions.
He expressed confidence that the training would help participants produce reports that were not only informative but also responsible and professionally grounded.
The NUJ chairman commended Chevron Nigeria Limited for supporting professional development and constructive engagement with the media, while appreciating NNPC Limited and the resource persons involved in the programme.
Meanwhile, a senior lecturer at the Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, and lead trainer at the workshop, Dr. Patrick Edema, charged media practitioners against inaccurate and exaggerated reports capable of breeding violence in the oil and gas industry.
Dr. Edema, who is also a veteran journalist, urged journalists particularly in oil bearing states of the Niger Delta region to engage in responsible journalism to avoid being used to create crisis between IOCs and host communities.
He warned against fake news, misinformation and disinformation especially in an era of social media and artificial intelligence, adding that journalists owed the society a duty by verifying and fact-checking information before they published.
