A fresh dispute over the control and allocation of four oil fields in the Niger Delta has reached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, where two companies are seeking orders to overturn alleged allocations made while their appeal over the assets remains pending.
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Hi-Rev Oil Limited and Hi-Rev Exploration & Production Limited have asked the appellate court to intervene in respect of Yorla South, identified as PPL 2A32/OML 11 in Rivers State; Akiapiri, PPL 2A48/OML 25; and Diebu Creek East, OML 32, both in Bayelsa State; as well as Idiok, PPL 2A41/OML 67, in Akwa Ibom State.
In a motion before the Court of Appeal, the companies alleged that the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, proceeded with bidding and allocation exercises concerning the assets on or about July 21, 2026, notwithstanding their pending appeal and an application seeking to preserve the oil fields.
They are asking the court to set aside the disputed bidding and allocation process and return the assets to the position they were in when the appeal and accompanying application for protective orders were filed.
The applicants are also seeking an interlocutory injunction restraining the respondents and anyone acting through them from selling, transferring, allocating, dealing with or otherwise interfering with the four fields until the appeal is determined.
The dispute originated from proceedings instituted at the Federal High Court in Abuja in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2678/2025.
On December 22, 2025, the Federal High Court directed the respondents to show cause why an interim injunction sought by the companies should not be granted.
The companies said that application remained on the court’s record when the substantive suit was eventually struck out on April 20, 2026, following preliminary objections raised by the respondents.
The Federal High Court had declined jurisdiction on the basis of what it found to be an incompetent pre-action notice issued to NUPRC.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the companies approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision.
They said that on May 21, 2026, they filed and served a further application seeking a stay and orders preventing any allocation, transfer, sale or other dealings involving the disputed oil fields pending the determination of their appeal.
According to the applicants, NUPRC was aware of the pending appellate proceedings but nevertheless continued with processes relating to the assets.
They referred to several stages of the alleged bidding exercise, including a pre-bid conference held on January 14, a June 12 deadline for submission of bids and commercial bid proceedings conducted in July.
The companies argued that permitting any allocation made during the pendency of the appeal to remain in place could create a fait accompli and render any eventual judgment of the Court of Appeal ineffective.
They maintained that their right of appeal is constitutionally protected and urged the court to preserve the subject matter of the dispute until the substantive appeal is resolved.
According to them, intervention by the appellate court is necessary not only to safeguard their interests but also to prevent steps capable of undermining the authority and effectiveness of the judicial process.
The motion, dated August 13, 2026, was filed on behalf of the companies by Chief Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, SAN, and Chike Chukwu Okafor.
Listed as respondents are the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Attorney-General of the Federation and NUPRC.
The Court of Appeal has not, at this stage, determined the substantive allegations made by the applicants or ruled on the validity of the disputed allocations.
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