FG Begins Mapping Disputed Oil, Gas Wells to Resolve Ownership Claims
The Federal Government has commenced the plotting of coordinates for disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells as part of efforts to resolve long-standing ownership claims and ensure accurate attribution of petroleum assets across the country.
The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr Mohammed Bello Shehu, disclosed this in Abuja on January 26, 2026, describing the exercise as the next critical phase following the completion of field verification by an inter-agency technical committee.
Dr Shehu said the Inter-Agency Technical Committee, made up of officials from RMAFC, the National Boundary Commission (NBC), the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGoF) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has concluded on-the-ground verification of oil and gas wells. The committee will now proceed to plot the exact coordinates of the wells to determine their rightful ownership.
According to him, the initiative is designed to bring clarity to disputes over the location of oil and gas assets, particularly in areas where state boundaries are contested or where new wells have recently been drilled. He noted that accurate geospatial data is essential to ending recurrent disagreements among stakeholders and ensuring proper revenue allocation.
Dr Shehu explained that the exercise is in line with the constitutional mandate of RMAFC to safeguard the interests of oil-producing states, especially with regard to the payment of the 13 per cent derivation revenue provided for under the 1999 Constitution.
He added that the verification process covered both onshore and offshore wells and involved detailed field surveys supported by modern technology, including drone-based mapping. The RMAFC chairman assured that the commission and its partner agencies are committed to fairness, transparency and impartiality throughout the process.
He expressed confidence that the outcome of the exercise would strengthen intergovernmental trust, reduce conflicts over resource ownership and enhance the credibility of revenue distribution in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.