Eleme Oil and Gas-Bearing Communities Demand Partnership, Unbundling of OML 11 in Ogoni Oil Exploration Resumption

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By Nwafor Oji Awala.

The Oil and Gas-Bearing Communities of Eleme have asked for Exploration and Production (E&P) Partnership, Unbundling of OML 11 and Establishment of Eleme Oil and Gas Fields, among other demands for resumption of oil exploration in the area.

The group under the aegis of Eleme Oil Producing Communities Traditional Rulers Council made the demand as contained in a position-paper, titled: “Resolutions of the Oil and Gas-Bearing Communities of Eleme, Eleme Local Government Area, Rivers State, Regarding the Resumption of Oil and Gas Operations in Ogoniland” presented on Saturday, when the people of Eleme received the Ogoni Dialogue Committee on oil exploration resumption in Ogoniland at a town hall meeting in Alesa.



Presenting their position-paper on behalf of the group, Emere Phylle Te-nwaji outlined and explained their key demands:

“1. Community-Led Exploration & Production (E&P) Partnership: The Eleme oil and gas-bearing communities call for affirmative action to actively participate in oil and gas exploration and production through partnerships with NNPCL and competent indigenous operators. With a reservoir of qualified local personnel, these communities are well-positioned to manage upstream operations.

“2. Quarterly Equity Disbursement: Host communities demand direct equity participation, with dividends distributed quarterly based on the production capacity and proven reserves of each oil and gas field—modeled after the successful INDORAMA framework—to ensure consistent and sustainable community income.

“3. Comprehensive Joint General Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU): A legally binding GMoU should be established, delineating the rights and responsibilities of all stakeholders. It must include provisions for community development, employment quotas, environmental remediation, and conflict resolution, with biennial reviews to adapt to evolving circumstances.

“4. Unbundling of OML 11 and Establishment of “Eleme Oil and Gas Fields”: Given Eleme’s unique hydrocarbon potential, it is proposed that OML 11 be unbundled to create a dedicated “Eleme Oil and Gas Fields” license. This restructuring will streamline regulatory oversight and formally recognize Eleme’s five oil and gas-bearing communities as primary stakeholders.

“5. Creation of the Eleme Foundation for Regional Development: A foundation, funded by a fixed percentage of the oil and gas company’s quarterly profits, should be established to support broader LGA development—financing education, healthcare, infrastructure, environmental protection, and entrepreneurship, with funds disbursed quarterly under transparent, community-driven oversight.

“6. Production-Based Equity Adjustments: A bi-annual technical assessment should be conducted to document the number of oil and gas wells, their geographic distribution, and production capacities. This data will ensure that equity shares and financial contributions dynamically align with real-time production outputs.”

Eleme Oil Producing Communities Traditional Rulers Council is a registered body and consists of oil producing communities in Eleme Local Government Area. The communities are in Ogale, Ebubu and Onne clans of Elame LGA.

Ogale Clan is subdivided into Aluebo, Ekpangbala and Alueken. Aluebo hosts the following oil wells: Ajenokpori (Ebubu North) drilling location, Ebubu RMQ (Well 2) drilling location and Ajenokpori SARG1 drilling location.

Ekpangbala hosts the Ebubu RPQP (Well 6) drilling location, Okenta drilling location, while Alueken hosts Ajenokpori SMRK1 drilling location.

Oil bearing communities in Ebubu Clan are Agbeta, Obolo, and Ejamah. Agbeta Ebubu hosts the Oil and Gas Well 5A, Oil and Gas Well 5B, Oil and Gas Well 9, Oil and Gas Well 4 and Oil and Gas Well 2.

Obolo Ebubu hosts Oil and Gas Well 1, Oil and Gas Well 4, Oil and Gas Well 8, Oil and Gas Well 6 and two deep unnamed oil and gas wells. On its part, Ejamah Ebubu hosts Oil and Gas Well 3, Oil and Gas Well 5, Oil and Gas Well 10 and Ebubu SCQN drilling location.

Ekara Onne is the oil-bearing community in Onne clan and hosts Oil and Gas Well 1 Location, Oil and Gas Well 2 Location and Oil and Gas Well 3 Location.

For the unique customary ties to ancestral lands and land ownership in Eleme, the group suggested the INDORAMA equity-sharing framework.

“When oil, gas, or other natural resources are discovered on family or community land, the affected families inherently become the host communities. Given that farming and fishing are the primary livelihoods of the people of Eleme, this designation carries profound socio-economic implications. For instance, under the INDORAMA Eleme Petrochemicals model, the immediate host communities—Elelenwo, Agbonchia, Aleto, Akpakpan, Njuru, and Okerewa—collectively hold a 7.5% equity stake, which is translated into regular dividend disbursements.

“Elelenwo, 0.5 units; Agbonchia, 3 units; Aleto, 44 units; Akpakpan, 16 units; Njuru, 16 units, and Okerewa, 21 units.

“This framework emphasizes direct community involvement in oil and gas operations and underscores the importance of equitable revenue distribution, environmental stewardship, and sustainable local development.”

Te-nwaji however concluded that “The unified position of the oil and gas-bearing communities of Ogale, Agbeta Ebubu, Ejamah Ebubu, Obolo Ebubu, and Ekara Onne is anchored in equity, sustainability, and a collective vision for shared prosperity. By securing direct equity participation, establishing a robust GMoU, restructuring oil and gas licenses, and creating a regional development foundation, these communities seek to ensure that Eleme’s oil and gas wealth is transformed into tangible, long-term benefits for both current and future generations.

“This document is an earnest invitation to oil and gas companies, government entities, and regulatory authorities to engage in a transparent and structured dialogue—one that aligns resource extraction with sustainable community growth and holistic development.”

Nwafor Oji Awala


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