The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission has inaugurated a reconstituted Inter-Agency Technical Committee to verify the coordinates of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells across Nigeria from 2017 to date.
The commission said the exercise was intended to strengthen fiscal transparency, improve revenue allocation and resolve disputes affecting the distribution of oil-producing revenues among states.
The committee was inaugurated on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the commission’s new boardroom. Its work will include verifying well coordinates, examining approved maps and conducting field inspections where necessary.
The chairman of RMAFC, Mohammed Bello Shehu, said the exercise was consistent with the commission’s constitutional responsibility to monitor revenue accruing to and distributed from the Federation Account.
He said the verification would also help ensure an equitable distribution of the 13 per cent derivation fund among oil and gas-producing states.
Mr Shehu said the commission had discarded its previous draft report on the verification exercise following claims, counterclaims and complaints from various states.
He said many of the concerns centred on the need to reverify the coordinates of disputed and newly drilled wells and accurately plot the verified coordinates on approved maps.
The chairman directed the reconstituted committee to consider relevant court decisions, rely strictly on approved maps and undertake physical verification of affected wells where necessary.
He said the committee would also be required to ensure that every verified coordinate, map and boundary assessment accurately reflected conditions on the ground.
The exercise will operate under a two-tier governance structure. The first tier will comprise technical officers and experts from RMAFC, the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation, the National Boundary Commission and the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission.
That team will undertake field verification, technical analysis, inspections and preparation of the initial report. An Executive Committee, led by the commission’s leadership, will provide strategic direction and oversee the final approval of the findings.
Mr Shehu said RMAFC would provide institutional support for the exercise, including engagement with security authorities to secure administrative clearances and security coverage during field operations.
He said Surveyors-General from affected states and representatives of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) would participate as observers, in an effort to promote transparency.
The chairman urged members of the committee to approach the assignment with integrity, objectivity and patriotism, saying the exercise was aimed at achieving a fair and lasting resolution of disputes over oil and gas wells.
The secretary of the commission, Tosin Adeyanju, also urged members to place the national interest above other considerations and carry out their responsibilities with fairness and diligence.
Mr Adeyanju said the committee’s work would attract greater scrutiny because of lessons from previous verification exercises. He expressed confidence that its findings would provide a credible basis for resolving outstanding issues.
The inauguration was attended by RMAFC commissioners representing several states, including Osun, Edo, Yobe, Taraba, Zamfara, Jigawa and Ogun, as well as representatives of relevant government agencies.
The commission said the committee’s findings would ultimately be presented for formal ratification, with the exercise expected to contribute to greater confidence in the monitoring and allocation of revenue derived from Nigeria’s oil and gas resources.