RMAFC Inaugurates Committee to Verify Disputed Oil, Gas Well Coordinates

Oru Leonard

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), has inaugurated a reconstituted Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC), to verify the coordinates of disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells from 2017 to date.

The exercise is aimed at strengthening fiscal transparency, promoting equitable revenue allocation and resolving disputes surrounding oil and gas-producing areas in Nigeria.

Speaking at the inauguration held at the Commission’s new Boardroom on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, RMAFC Chairman, Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, OFR, said the exercise was part of the Commission’s constitutional responsibility to monitor accruals to and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account.

Shehu said accurate verification of oil and gas well coordinates would contribute to ensuring the equitable distribution of the 13 per cent Derivation Fund among oil and gas-producing states.

He disclosed that the Commission had discarded its previous draft report on the verification exercise following claims, counterclaims and complaints from various states.

According to him, the major concerns raised centred on the need to re-verify the coordinates of disputed and newly drilled wells and accurately plot the verified coordinates on approved maps.

The RMAFC chairman directed the reconstituted committee to ensure that every verified coordinate, map used and boundary evaluated reflects the actual situation on the ground.

He also urged the committee to take relevant court decisions into consideration, rely strictly on approved maps and undertake physical field verification of affected oil and gas wells where necessary.

Shehu explained that the Commission had established a two-tier governance structure to ensure efficiency, transparency and accountability in the exercise.

The first tier consists of technical officers and subject-matter experts from RMAFC, the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGoF), the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

The team will be responsible for ground-level verification, field inspections, technical analysis and preparation of the initial report.

The second tier, known as the Executive Committee, will be led by the leadership of RMAFC and will provide strategic direction, coordinate the participating agencies and oversee final approvals before the findings are presented for formal ratification.

The chairman said RMAFC would provide the committee with the necessary institutional support, including engagement with relevant security authorities to facilitate administrative clearances, tactical assistance and security coverage during field operations, particularly in complex and coastal environments.

He added that Surveyors-General from affected states and representatives of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) would participate as observers to enhance transparency.

Shehu charged members of the committee to approach the assignment with integrity, objectivity and patriotism, stressing that the exercise was designed to achieve clarity, fairness and lasting resolution of disputes over oil and gas wells among beneficiary states.

He expressed confidence that the committee’s work would further strengthen the credibility of revenue monitoring and allocation in Nigeria.
The Secretary of the Commission, Comrade Tosin Adeyanju, commended members of the committee and other invited stakeholders for their participation.

Adeyanju urged members to put national interest above other considerations and discharge their responsibilities with objectivity, fairness and diligence.
He said the committee’s work would attract significant scrutiny in view of lessons from previous verification exercises, expressing optimism that it would produce a credible outcome that would serve the interests of the nation and the affected states.

The inauguration was attended by the Chairman of the Crude Oil Monitoring Committee and Federal Commissioner representing Kano State, Hon. Adamu Abdu Fanda, as well as Federal Commissioners representing Osun, Edo, Yobe, Taraba, Zamfara, Jigawa and Ogun states.

Some of the commissioners are members of the Crude Oil Monitoring Committee, while others serve on the Gas Monitoring Committee.

Representatives of relevant government agencies also witnessed the inauguration.

Cover Photo Caption: RMAFC Inaugurates Committee to Verify Disputed Oil, Gas Well Coordinates