By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has inaugurated a reconstituted Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) to verify disputed and newly drilled oil and gas wells from 2017 to date.
The exercise is aimed at strengthening fiscal transparency, equitable revenue allocation and institutional integrity in the management of Nigeria’s oil and gas revenues.
Speaking at the inauguration held at the Commission’s new Boardroom on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, RMAFC Chairman, Dr Mohammed Bello Shehu, said the exercise was in line with the Commission’s constitutional mandate to monitor accruals to and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account.
Shehu said the verification would also help ensure 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 oil and gas wells verification exercise following claims, counterclaims and complaints from various states.
According to him, the concerns largely 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 charged the reconstituted committee to ensure that every verified coordinate, map used and boundary assessed accurately reflected the situation on the ground.
He also directed the committee to take relevant court decisions into consideration, rely strictly on approved maps and conduct physical field verification of affected oil and gas wells where necessary.
Shehu explained that a two-tier governance structure had been established to ensure efficiency and accountability in the exercise.
The first tier, comprising 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), would undertake ground-level verification, field inspections, technical analysis and preparation of the initial report.
The second tier, which would be led by the leadership of RMAFC, would provide strategic direction, coordinate participating agencies and oversee final approvals before the findings are presented for formal ratification.
He further stated that RMAFC would provide the committee with necessary institutional support, including engagement with security authorities for administrative clearances, tactical assistance and security coverage during field operations, particularly in complex and coastal environments.
According to him, Surveyors-General from affected states and representatives of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) would participate as observers to promote transparency.
Shehu urged members of the committee to approach the assignment with integrity, objectivity and patriotism, saying the exercise was intended to bring clarity, fairness and stability to disputes over oil and gas wells among beneficiary states.
He expressed confidence that the committee’s work would strengthen the credibility of revenue monitoring and allocation in Nigeria.
The Secretary of RMAFC, Comrade Tosin Adeyanju, thanked members of the committee for their participation and urged them to put the national interest first.
Adeyanju called for objectivity, fairness and diligence, noting that the committee’s work would attract greater scrutiny in view of lessons learnt from previous verification exercises.
He expressed optimism that the committee would deliver a credible outcome that would serve the interests of the nation and affected states and contribute to national development.
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.
Representatives of relevant government agencies also attended the event.
