By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Federal Government has commenced the plotting of coordinates for disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells across Nigeria’s oil-producing states, a move aimed at resolving ownership disputes and ensuring accurate revenue allocation.
The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, disclosed this while addressing journalists during the flag-off ceremony at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Dr. Shehu said the development followed the completion of verification work by the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC), inaugurated by RMAFC to confirm the coordinates of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells.
“The Inter-Agency Technical Committee has completed the verification of the coordinates, and the next phase is the plotting of these coordinates, which will resolve the actual locations of the disputed oil and gas wells and correctly attribute newly drilled wells to their rightful owners,” he said.
The committee comprises representatives of the National Boundary Commission (NBC), the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGoF), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and RMAFC.
According to the RMAFC chairman, the exercise is constitutionally mandated, noting that the Constitution provides for a 13 per cent derivation revenue to oil-producing states based on actual production locations.
“The verification and plotting of coordinates of new and disputed oil and gas wells is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” Dr. Shehu said.
He explained that the exercise covers all oil-producing states, including Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Ondo, Rivers and Delta states, as well as offshore locations.
He noted that disputes typically arise when new oil fields come on stream, with multiple states laying claim, but stressed that factual data would determine ownership or shared entitlements where applicable.
To ensure transparency and credibility, Dr. Shehu disclosed that extensive fieldwork was conducted between September 2025 and January 2026 across creeks, offshore terrains and high seas, with the participation of Surveyors-General from affected states.
“We went to the field ourselves, and where physical access was not possible, we deployed drones to capture the coordinates. All data collected were witnessed by representatives of the affected states,” he said.
The RMAFC chairman assured stakeholders that the Commission would remain neutral throughout the process, pledging justice, equity and fairness in determining outcomes. He expressed confidence that the exercise would significantly reduce disputes and strengthen trust in the derivation revenue process.
Dr. Shehu commended the Acting Chairman of the Crude Oil Monitoring Committee, Hon. Hakeem Amosu, and the Chairman of the Gas Monitoring Committee, Hon. Rabiu Garba, for their guidance and support.
Earlier, the Secretary to the Commission, Joseph Okechukwu Nwaze, described the exercise as a reflection of RMAFC’s commitment to duty and effective inter-agency collaboration, noting that its successful completion would reinforce confidence in the Commission’s role in revenue administration and fiscal federalism.
In her opening remarks, the Director of the Crude Oil Department, RMAFC, Dr. Khadija Kumo, said the exercise was timely and critical to Nigeria’s energy governance, urging sustained collaboration to support data-driven decision-making in the oil and gas sector.
The Coordinator of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee, Prince Folorunsho Aderinwala, praised the Commission’s leadership for providing the necessary support that enabled the committee to successfully carry out the assignment.
The verification exercise was first flagged off in October 2025 in the Niger Delta region following petitions from governors of Anambra, Delta, Imo, Edo, Ondo and Rivers states seeking clarity on the ownership and boundaries of certain oil and gas resources.
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