RMAFC moves to resolve dispute over oil wells in N/Delta

The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, on Monday formally flagged off the plotting of coordinates of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells across affected oil-producing states, Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, he said the exercise marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s revenue […]

The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, on Monday formally flagged off the plotting of coordinates of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells across affected oil-producing states,

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, he said the exercise marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s revenue management and resource governance framework, adding that it is scheduled to run from January 26 to 30, 2026, following the verification process conducted by the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC), which collated data from the affected states on disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells.

Daily Trust reports that the plotting of coordinates of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells involves marking the precise location and the exercise covers affected oil-producing states.

He explained that RMAFC derives its authority from Paragraph 32(a) of Part I, Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the Commission to monitor accruals and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account, including ensuring the equitable distribution of the 13 per cent Derivation Fund among oil- and gas-producing states.

“In line with this constitutional mandate, the Commission inaugurated the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC), comprising the National Boundary Commission (NBC), the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGoF), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and RMAFC.

“The Committee was tasked with verifying and plotting the coordinates of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells in affected states. While the verification phase has been completed, the plotting exercise now underway is expected to determine the precise locations of the wells and ensure that new oil and gas assets are properly attributed to their rightful states,” he explained.

Shehu called on representatives of the affected oil-producing states to participate actively in the process to guarantee transparency, credibility, and collective ownership of the outcomes.

“The Commission will remain an unbiased umpire and will continue to uphold justice, equity, and fairness in the discharge of this responsibility,” he assured.

 

Background

Daily Trust had reported that in September 2025, the Federal Government, through the commission had embarked on the verification of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas fields in the Niger Delta region.

Shehu, who led the committee to the Aneize oil field in the Okpai area of Delta State on stated that the verification was necessary following various petitions from states.

The verification was based on formal concerns expressed by the Executive Governors of some States, such as Anambra, Imo, and Delta, regarding the rightful ownership and territorial boundaries of specific crude oil and gas assets.

“Key among these is the Aneize oil field within OML 143, as well as the Eyine and Ameshi fields. During our stay in Delta State, the Inter-Agency Technical Committee will address these matters thoroughly, examining the identified locations and verifying the coordinates of newly drilled oil and gas wells within the area, spanning from 2017 to the present.” he said

The Chairman said the Committee will extend its activities to Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Ondo, Edo, and Rivers States, where it will rigorously assess and respond to the various complaints and petitions submitted by these States.

Checks showed that key affected areas involve boundary locations between Edo and Delta states, Ondo and Delta, Anambra and Delta, Anambra and Imo, Rivers and Imo, Rivers and Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom, as well as Cross River and Akwa Ibom.