It was hardly a meeting of minds but President Muhammadu Buhari's discussions with Niger Delta state governors and community leaders in Abuja on 1 November marks a clear change of strategy. It was Buhari's first meeting with regional leaders since militants of the Niger Delta Avengers started attacking pipelines and production platforms in January, eventually cutting oil production by a million barrels a day. Oil ministry officials claim production is back up to around 2 mn. barrels.

The government is set to launch a new strategy of negotiations with grassroots organisations and a US$10 billion investment programme for education, health services, training and jobs. Deputy Oil Minister Emmanuel Kachikwu says much of the funding would come from outside the state treasury, mainly from local and international oil companies. But he concedes it will be difficult to raise substantial funds without getting the National Assembly to approve long delayed reforms to the oil industry.

Delta activists have told Buhari's officials there is little chance of stopping the militant attacks if military operations continue to be run by corrupt officers who benefit from various oil theft and piracy schemes. The first stage of the government's Delta strategy will be dominated by the US$200 mn. clean-up of Ogoniland, due to start in early 2017 with an initial group of projects costing $10 mn. It will be a critical test of the government's new policy in the Delta.