…As ex-AGF Adoke seeks apology
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the successful resolution of the long-running dispute over Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245, bringing to a close more than 15 years of legal and political wrangling surrounding one of Nigeria’s most valuable deepwater oil assets.
The settlement agreement between the Federal Government, Italian energy giant Eni, and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited (NAEL) was finalised during a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja attended by Eni’s Chief Executive Officer, Claudio Descalzi, alongside senior company executives and top Nigerian officials.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the agreement restores clarity and stability to the oil block, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most commercially promising offshore assets.
With the dispute resolved, the government says the path is now clear for a Final Investment Decision on the Zabazaba–Etan deepwater development project, which could add about 150,000 barrels of crude oil per day to Nigeria’s production capacity and strengthen the country’s long-term energy outlook.
Tinubu described the settlement as a major milestone in Nigeria’s economic reform agenda, stressing that the move demonstrates the administration’s commitment to resolving legacy disputes and improving the investment climate. “This resolution sends a clear signal to global investors that Nigeria is prepared to address legacy issues transparently, uphold the rule of law, and create a stable environment for long-term capital”, the President said.
According to the President’s Special Adviser on Energy, Olu Verheijen, the revised agreement significantly improves on the 2011 resolution framework and aligns with reforms introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act.
She explained that the new terms strike a balance by providing investors with the certainty needed to proceed with major deepwater investments while ensuring stronger value and safeguards for the Nigerian federation.
The Government said the resolution forms part of broader reforms introduced since 2023 to restore Nigeria’s competitiveness in global energy markets and attract fresh capital into the oil and gas sector.
Meanwhile, former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Mohammed Bello Adoke has welcomed the settlement, describing it as long overdue and a vindication of the efforts made during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
In a statement issued yesterday, Adoke said he “wholeheartedly” welcomed the government’s decision to implement agreements reached years earlier to resolve the dispute.
“I wholeheartedly welcome the decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to finally implement the OPL 245 Resolution Agreements nearly 15 years after the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan resolved the knotty disputes between the concerned parties”, he stated.
Adoke also commended Tinubu for concluding the process, in what he described as an act of statesmanship, noting that the President understands the economic importance of the oil block.
However, the former justice minister criticised the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing it of undermining earlier efforts to resolve the dispute and subjecting him to years of legal battles and public scrutiny. He said his role in negotiating the original resolution during the Jonathan administration led to humiliation and defamation both locally and internationally.
Adoke, therefore, renewed his call for an apology from the Federal Government over what he described as nine years of persecution related to the controversial oil block deal. “I strongly believe that I deserve an unreserved apology from the Federal Government for the persecution and humiliation I was subjected to simply because I advised the Goodluck Jonathan administration to do the right thing”, he said.
Despite the controversy, he said he had chosen to forgive those who criticised him, describing the experience as part of the burden of serving the nation.
The OPL 245 oil block—one of Nigeria’s largest untapped offshore reserves—has been the subject of international litigation and corruption allegations for years, involving multinational oil companies and legal proceedings across several jurisdictions.
