Just 30 years after a devastating crisis severely impacted Nigeria’s economy, Ogoni kingdom in Rivers State may face another oil-related conflict due to secretive moves by oil companies to resume production in the area.
Fegalo Nsuke, President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), revealed these concerns in an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday. Nsuke called on the President to address what he termed an “unholy deal” between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and Sahara Energy, describing it as a “resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni” without proper consultation.
In the letter titled “OML 11: Unholy Secret Deals in NNPC Threatens Oil Resumption in Ogoni,” MOSOP highlighted that since 1993, Ogoni oil fields within OML 11 have remained dormant due to disagreements with the previous operator, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). This situation has left a significant oil production capacity of 500,000 barrels per day untapped, while the Ogoni people continue to suffer from a lack of basic amenities and environmental pollution.
MOSOP expressed alarm over Sahara Energy Limited’s attempts to undermine current peace efforts by aggressively pursuing oil operations in Ogoni despite widespread rejection. The organization accused Sahara Energy of displaying untrustworthy traits similar to those of SPDC.
Under the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, Sahara Energy reportedly signed a Financial and Technical Services Agreement (FTSA) with WAGL Energy Limited, an affiliate of NNPC Limited. In February 2023, Sahara Energy attempted to purchase the OML 11 asset for $250 million, a deal the House of Representatives rejected as a “covert arrangement.”