Cross River Poised for Return to Oil-Producing Status as FG Committee Submits Report to RMAFC

Cross River State may soon regain its status as an oil-producing state following the formal submission of a long-awaited technical report to the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The report, compiled by the Federal Government’s Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) on Nigeria’s oil-producing states, was presented at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on February 13, 2026. Observers have described the development as a potentially historic turning point in Nigeria’s fiscal federalism framework, particularly for Cross River, which has been excluded from the list of oil-producing states since 2008.

Extensive Nationwide Verification

According to sources familiar with the process, the committee undertook a comprehensive verification exercise between August 2025 and February 2026. The assignment involved physical field inspections, hydrographic validation, boundary reconciliation, and technical plotting of crude oil and gas coordinates across both onshore and offshore locations.

The exercise reportedly verified more than 1,000 oil and gas coordinates across multiple states, including Akwa Ibom State, Rivers State, Bayelsa State, Delta State, Edo State, Ondo State, Imo State, Anambra State, Abia State, and Cross River.

The inter-agency team comprised representatives from key institutions, including RMAFC, the National Boundary Commission, the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian Hydrographic Agency, and other relevant federal bodies. Their mandate was to scientifically determine the precise geographical location of oil and gas assets within Nigeria’s territorial boundaries.

OML 114 and Renewed Prospects

Central to Cross River’s projected return is Oil Mining Lease (OML) 114, located within its maritime territory. Findings from the report suggest that more than 100 producing oil wells—verified through geological and hydrographic data—fall within coordinates attributable to Cross River.

Although the 2012 Supreme Court ruling retained 76 oil wells in Akwa Ibom following the cession of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, insiders indicate that the latest verification distinguishes between earlier judicial determinations and newly confirmed reservoir data. Even with potential deductions linked to prior court decisions, Cross River is said to have presented substantial geological evidence supporting its oil-producing status.

An Abuja-based fiscal expert noted that the committee’s work sought to separate administrative attribution from geological reality, emphasizing scientific evidence over political considerations.

Boundary Resolutions and Shared Attributions

The report also addressed longstanding boundary overlaps among several oil-producing states. In cases where reservoirs straddled state lines—such as Rivers–Akwa Ibom and Delta–Edo—the committee reportedly adopted shared attributions based on empirical data and equitable principles.

Officials familiar with the deliberations described the verification as one of the most comprehensive coordinate reconciliations undertaken in recent years, involving both on-the-ground inspections and technical plotting sessions.

Awaiting Presidential Assent

Implementation of the report now awaits presidential approval from Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Upon assent, RMAFC’s Board of Commissioners is expected to convene to formalize the updated list of oil-producing states and determine the operational framework for revenue allocation adjustments.

For Cross River, stakeholders describe the anticipated re-listing not merely as administrative recognition but as a restoration of economic equity with significant implications for federal revenue derivation payments.

Online reactions to the development have been mixed. While many Cross River residents welcomed the news as long-overdue vindication, some commentators from neighboring states expressed concerns about potential revenue implications. Others urged political leaders to ensure that any additional funds derived from oil attributions are transparently managed and invested in infrastructure, education, and social development.

If formally implemented, Cross River’s return to oil-producing status could reshape fiscal allocations and alter the economic landscape of the South-South region, marking a significant chapter in Nigeria’s evolving resource governance structure.