Disputed Oil Wells: Fresh Hope for Cross River as FG Begins Coordinate Plotting
By Ekanem Asuquo
Fresh optimism is building in Cross River State as the Federal Government commences the plotting of coordinates for disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells, a move expected to finally settle long running ownership disputes and determine the true beneficiaries of derivation revenue.
The exercise is being coordinated by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission following the completion of field verification by an Inter Agency Technical Committee established to handle disputes involving oil producing states, including Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Ondo.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday during the flag off of the plotting phase, the Chairman of RMAFC, Dr Mohammed Bello Shehu, said the process represents a decisive step toward resolving disagreements over the location and ownership of oil and gas wells across the Niger Delta and offshore areas.
Dr Shehu explained that the committee, which includes the National Boundary Commission, the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and RMAFC, has concluded the verification of coordinates and is now proceeding to the plotting stage, which will establish the exact position of each disputed and newly drilled well.
He stressed that the exercise is a constitutional responsibility, noting that the Constitution provides for the payment of 13 per cent derivation to states where crude oil and gas are produced.
According to him, facts obtained from verified coordinates, rather than claims or assumptions, will determine ownership, adding that where applicable, resources may be shared in line with established boundaries.
For Cross River State, the development has rekindled hope that years of uncertainty over offshore oil assets, estimated at about 76 oil wells, may soon be resolved, potentially opening the door to long awaited derivation revenue.
Dr Shehu assured affected states that the Commission would remain neutral and transparent throughout the process, guided strictly by the principles of justice, equity and fairness.
He disclosed that the committee carried out extensive fieldwork between September 2025 and January 2026, covering creeks, offshore locations and high seas, with the active participation of surveyors general and representatives of the affected states. In areas that were difficult to access, drones were deployed to capture accurate coordinates.
Also speaking, the Secretary to the Commission, Joseph Okechukwu Nwaze, described the exercise as a product of strong inter agency cooperation, saying its successful completion would further strengthen confidence in RMAFC as a fair and impartial institution.
The Director of the Crude Oil Department at RMAFC, Dr Khadija Kumo, said the exercise marked the most comprehensive verification of oil well coordinates ever undertaken by the Commission, explaining that the current plotting phase is being conducted openly in the presence of officials from the affected states.
She expressed confidence that the transparent nature of the process would ensure broad acceptance of the outcome.
Coordinator of the Inter Agency Technical Committee, Prince Folorunsho Aderinwala, commended the leadership of RMAFC for providing the necessary support that enabled the committee to complete its assignment successfully.
As the plotting exercise progresses, expectations remain high in Cross River that the findings will finally bring clarity to the long standing oil well dispute and reposition the state to benefit fully from its offshore resources.
