By Kingsley Agim
Fresh optimism is rising in Cross River State following the commencement of coordinate plotting by the Federal Government for disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells, an exercise expected to bring final clarity to long-standing ownership disputes and determine rightful beneficiaries of derivation revenue.
The exercise is being coordinated by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) after the successful completion of field verification by an Inter-Agency Technical Committee set up to address disputes among oil-producing states, including Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Ondo.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday at the official flag-off of the plotting phase, Chairman of RMAFC, Dr. Mohammed Bello Shehu, described the exercise as a decisive milestone in resolving disagreements over the location and ownership of oil and gas wells in the Niger Delta and offshore areas.
Dr. Shehu explained that the committee, comprising the National Boundary Commission, the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and RMAFC, has concluded verification of well coordinates and is now proceeding to the plotting stage, which will determine the precise geographical position of each disputed and newly drilled well.
He emphasized that the exercise is anchored on constitutional provisions, noting that the 1999 Constitution guarantees the payment of 13 per cent derivation to states where oil and gas are produced.
According to him, ownership will be determined strictly by verified coordinates rather than claims or assumptions, adding that in cases where wells fall along shared boundaries, resources may be jointly administered in line with established regulations.
For Cross River State, the development has rekindled hope that years of uncertainty surrounding its offshore oil assets, estimated at about 76 oil wells, may soon be resolved, potentially unlocking long-awaited derivation revenue.
Dr. Shehu assured all affected states of RMAFC’s neutrality and transparency, stressing that the process would be guided solely by the principles of justice, equity and fairness.
He disclosed that the inter-agency committee conducted 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 hard-to-reach areas, drone technology was 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 collaboration, expressing confidence that its successful completion would further strengthen public trust in RMAFC as a fair and impartial institution.
Similarly, the Director of the Crude Oil Department at RMAFC, Dr. Khadija Kumo, said the exercise represents the most comprehensive verification of oil well coordinates ever undertaken by the Commission. She noted that the current plotting phase is being carried out transparently in the presence of officials from the affected states.
She expressed optimism that the openness of the process would ensure wide acceptance of its outcome.
The Coordinator of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee, Prince Folorunsho Aderinwala, commended the leadership of RMAFC for providing the institutional support that enabled the committee to successfully conclude its assignment.
As the plotting exercise continues, expectations remain high in Cross River State that the findings will finally resolve the protracted oil well dispute and reposition the state to fully benefit from its offshore resources.