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The Federal Government has commenced the plotting of coordinates of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells across Nigeria as part of efforts to resolve ownership disputes and ensure equitable revenue distribution among oil producing states.
The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, stated this while addressing journalists during the flag off ceremony held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Dr. Shehu explained that the Inter Agency Technical Committee, IATC, set up by RMAFC to verify the coordinates of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells, has concluded its assignment, paving the way for the plotting phase that would determine the exact locations and ownership of the wells.
According to him, the 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; was mandated to verify and plot coordinates of oil and gas wells in affected states. He said the outcome would help attribute newly drilled wells to their rightful owners and resolve long standing disputes.
The RMAFC Chairman noted that the exercise was necessary to ensure compliance with the constitutional provision that grants oil producing states 13 per cent derivation from revenues accruing from crude oil and gas resources. He stressed that verification and plotting of well coordinates was a constitutional obligation rather than a discretionary exercise.
Dr. Shehu said the exercise covers all oil producing states, including Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Ondo, Rivers and Delta, as well as offshore locations. He observed that disputes often arise when new oil fields come on stream, but emphasised that factual data on the ground would determine ownership, including cases where resources may be shared between states.
To ensure transparency and credibility, the Chairman disclosed that extensive fieldwork was conducted between September 2025 and January 2026 across creeks, high seas and offshore terrains, with the participation of Surveyors General of the affected states. He added that drones were deployed in areas that were difficult to access, and all data collected were witnessed by representatives of the states.
Dr. Shehu assured stakeholders of RMAFC’s impartiality, noting that the Commission would remain fair and unbiased throughout the process. He expressed confidence that the outcome of the exercise would significantly reduce disputes, strengthen trust in the derivation process and enhance cooperation among stakeholders in the oil and gas sector.
PR/Umbwanko Baba
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