…As communities, Govs. seek clarity
More than three years after Nigeria announced its first commercial crude oil discovery in Northern Nigeria, the Kolmani Integrated Development Project in Bauchi and Gombe states remains stalled, with no clear timeline for production or supporting infrastructure, raising growing concerns among host communities and regional leaders.
Recall that the Kolmani project was inaugurated in November 2022 amid national fanfare, with the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) describing it as a landmark breakthrough that would rebalance Nigeria’s oil geography. The initiative was unveiled as an integrated energy hub, expected to include a 120,000 barrels-per-day refinery, a gas processing plant, a power station, and a fertilizer facility, with an estimated value exceeding $3 billion.
As of early 2026 however, the project is still at the appraisal stage. According to reports, there is no commercial oil production, and none of the promised facilities has entered construction. Publicly available information from NNPCL and the Federal Government has provided no definitive timeline on when development activities will commence.
Between 2023 and much of 2024, activity at the Kolmani site was minimal, with no major drilling or infrastructure rollout reported. In July 2024, Gombe State governor, Inuwa Yahaya publicly described the project as “stalled” and appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene, citing potential economic losses and missed opportunities for the region.
NNPCL announced in mid-2025 that drilling would resume following regulatory approvals; however, host communities reported limited activity on the ground.
According to reports, one drilling rig was dismantled and removed from the site, a move the company later described as a temporary technical adjustment. Months later, however, no replacement rig was visibly operational, prompting protests by residents in July 2025 over fears that exploration activities were being quietly discontinued.
A joint inspection by Bauchi and Gombe state officials that same month confirmed slow progress. Commissioners from both states said they were still seeking basic project details, including timelines and benchmarks, more than two years after the project’s launch.
By September 2025, concerns over Kolmani had reached the regional level, as North-East governors, led by Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, appealed directly to President Tinubu for the resumption of oil exploration in Kolmani and the Lake Chad Basin. The governors linked the delays to broader economic and developmental challenges in the region.
Questions have also persisted over project financing. NNPCL announced in December 2022 that it had secured $1.4 billion in external funding for Kolmani, but there have been no subsequent public disclosures on fund disbursement or expenditure.
While the Federal Government has highlighted ongoing investments in northern infrastructure—such as roads, rail lines and gas pipelines—stakeholders argue that oil exploration requires sustained federal coordination and political backing. Business groups and regional organisations, including the Bauchi Chamber of Commerce and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) have accused the government of neglecting the project, claims the administration has not formally addressed.
No official announcement has been made cancelling the Kolmani project. However, nearly three years after its launch, the absence of clear timelines and visible progress has left communities and state governments uncertain about the future of what was once described as a transformative national project.
