An appeals court in Milan, Italy, on Friday rejected Nigeria’s $1.092 billion compensation request against Italian energy group, Eni and Shell Plc in civil proceedings relating to a $1.3 billion oilfield deal.

The decision was read out in court, Reuters reported on Friday.

In July,  prosecutors had dropped related criminal proceedings, clearing Eni and Shell, as well as managers including Eni Chief Executive, Claudio Descalzi, in one of the oil industry’s biggest alleged corruption cases.

The main case revolved around a deal in which Eni and Shell acquired the OPL 245 offshore oilfield in 2011 to settle a long-standing dispute over ownership.

Prosecutors alleged that just under $1.1 billion of the total amount was siphoned off to politicians and middlemen.

Eni said on Friday it was satisfied with the appeals court’s decision and added it had started an arbitration against the African country at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

“Eni recalls that it has promoted a ICSID international arbitration in Washington, United States, against Nigeria for the protection of its OPL 245 license with respect to the overall detrimental consequences suffered in the affair,” the Italian group said in a statement.

In a separate message, Shell said it was pleased that the civil proceedings had been dismissed.

“This follows the Milan criminal tribunal’s finding that there was no case to answer for Shell or its former employees when they were fully acquitted in 2021, a decision that was upheld in July 2022, when criminal proceedings ended,” Shell added.

A lawyer representing Nigeria in the proceedings said on Friday that the country was still deciding whether to appeal the decision at Italy’s top administrative court.

Documents explaining the reasons behind Friday’s court decision are expected to be made available in 90 days.

______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

_______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation ______________________________________________________________________ “Bridging Theory And Courtroom Practice” — Hagler Sunny Okorie, Nathaniel Ngozi Ikeocha Unveil ‘Functional’ Tort Law Book For Nigerian Legal System The book, titled The Law of Torts in Nigeria: A Functional Approach, authored by Professor Hagler Sunny Okorie Ph.D and Ikeocha, Nathaniel Ngozi Esq, offers law students, practitioners, and academics a comprehensive guide to understanding and applying tort law in Nigerian courts. Interested buyers can place orders via the following contact numbers: 08028636615, 08037667945, 08032253813, or +234 902 196 2209. _______________________________________________________________________

“Order Your Copy Now” — Basil Momodu, Esq. Unveils Second Edition Of His Book, "Civil Procedure In Nigeria"

According to the learned author, Basil Momodu Esq. "Law review is a continuum. We will continue to track changes in the law to enrich future editions." Recommended Booksellers: Lagos: 08033855230, Abuja: 08035991379, and others.