The Federal Government of Nigeria has begun the verification of disputed oil and gas fields in the Niger Delta region. This initiative, led by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), aims to ensure fair and transparent allocation of oil revenue grounded in accurate data.
Key Objectives of the verification is to Verify the locations of crude oil and gas fields and wells within disputed areas and newly drilled sites, Ensure that every oil and gas-producing state receives its rightful share of resources, reducing tensions and safeguarding the integrity of the Federation Account.
and Conduct the verification exercise using geospatial data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, validated and plotted with Surveyor-Generals of affected states observing the process. The affected States are
Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Ondo State, Edo State, and Anambra State
The verification exercise started on September 22, 2025, in Asaba, Delta State, and is being conducted by a technical team comprising officers from relevant agencies. This initiative follows petitions from governors of the affected states, who demanded to know the rightful owners.The Chairman of RMAFC, Dr Mohammed Shehu, says.
“We are reaffirming our unwavering commitment to accurately identifying the locations of crude oil and gas fields and wells within the disputed areas and the newly drilled crude oil and gas wells.
The committee comprises the RMAFC, representatives of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), representatives of the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF), and representatives of the Office of the National Boundary Commission (NBC).
Paragraph 32 (a) part 1 of the third schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) empowers the RMAFC, amongst other functions, to monitor accruals into and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account.
This 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.” Dr Shehu says.
