- Plots coordinates for newly drilled, disputed oil and gas well
BY COBHAM NSA – In a move to ensure every oil-producing state receive its rightful revenue share, the federal government has officially commenced plotting coordinates for newly drilled and disputed oil and gas wells
According to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the development marks a major step towards resolving long-standing boundary and ownership concerns among the communities seeking compensation for the environmental and infrastructural impacts of oil extraction in their areas.
At the event to unveil activities leading to verifying and plotting the coordinates, Chairman of the Commission, Dr Mohammed Shehu, said the exercise, which began on Monday, 26th January and runs till Friday, 30th January 2026, is being handled by an Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC).
He said IATC, comprising key national institutions, such the RMAFC, representatives of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF), and Office of the National Boundary Commission (NBC), is charged with verifying and plotting the coordinates of oil and gas wells to ensure accuracy, transparency and fairness in revenue attribution.
Dr. Shehu said having completed the verification exercise, which commenced in December last year, the next step is to plot the coordinates that would resolve “the location of the disputed oil and gas wells as well as attribute the newly drilled oil and gas wells to the rightful owners.”
Explaining that the exercise is meant to ensure that oil-producing states receive their rightful share of revenue, the RMAFC boss said: “The Constitution provides that 13 per cent of revenue from minerals, especially crude oil and gas, should be paid to the states where they are produced, this is why the verification and plotting of coordinates of the new and disputed oil and gas wells is not optional, but a constitutional obligation.”
He said the exercise cuts across all oil-producing states, including Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Ondo, Rivers, Delta, and offshore locations, noting that disputes often arise whenever new oil fields come on stream, as multiple states may lay claim to them.
However, the RMAFC Chairman said it is the facts on ground that will reveal who actually owns what, and if ownership has to be shared between states.
He said to guarantee transparency and credibility, the Commission undertook extensive fieldwork between September 2025 and January 2026 covering creeks, high seas, and offshore terrains in company of the Surveyors-Generals of the affected States throughout the exercise.
“We went to the field ourselves, and where we could not physically access, we deployed drones to take the coordinates”, Dr Bello said, adding that all data collected were witnessed by representatives of the affected states.
While assuring stakeholders that the Commission would remain impartial throughout the process. Dr. Shehu said, “RMAFC will be an unbiased umpire and will deploy justice, equity, and fairness for which it is known”, even as expressed confidence that the outcome of the exercise would significantly reduce disputes and strengthen trust in the derivation process.
He appreciated the acting Chairman of Crude Oil Monitoring Committee, Hon. Hakeem Amosu and that of Gas Monitoring Committee, Hon. Rabiu Garba for their guidance and support which contributed immensely to the success recorded by IATC
In his remarks, Secretary of the Commission, Joseph Okechukwu Nwaze, described the exercise as a product of commitment to duty and healthy inter-agency cooperation.
Nwaze said its successful completion would reinforce confidence in RMAFC’s role as a neutral institution committed to fairness in revenue administration and fiscal federalism.
Also speaking at the forum, Director, Crude Oil Department, RMAFC, Dr. Khadija Kumo said the exercise was timely and critical to the future of energy governance in Nigeria, noting that beyond gross energy flow, attention must now shift to efficiency and the role of oil and gas in supporting the wider economy.
She also praised the technical team and participating states for their collaboration and urged continued engagement to ensure sustainable, data-driven decision-making in the sector.
For the Coordinator of IATC, Prince Folorunsho Aderinwala, the RMAFC Chairman deserves commendation for empowering the Committee with all necessary support to successfully carry out the exercise, just as he extended appreciation to the Committee members for their commitment throughout the field exercise
A statement by Maryam Umar Yusuf, Head, Information and Public Relations Unit of RMAFC said that in October 2025, the Commission Chairman had, while flagging off the verification of the disputed and newly drilled crude oil and gas fields in the Niger Delta region by IATC, told newsmen in Asaba, the Delta State capital, that the exercise was informed by petitions received from some State governors.
He listed the petitioners as Anambra, Delta, Imo, Edo, Ondo and Cross River states, saying they were all requesting RMAFC to ascertain rightful ownership and boundaries of some crude oil and gas resources within their respective domains.
In the process, the Commission promised to accurately and independently identify the locations of crude oil and gas fields and wells within the disputed areas and the newly drilled wells.
