The Incorporated Trustees of HEDA Resource Centre have sued the Federal Government (FG), multinational oil companies and government agencies at the Federal High Court, Lagos, challenging the legality of a major oil asset divestment deal.
In the suit marked FHC/L/CS/850/25, filed by Kunle Adegoke (SAN), HEDA is asking the court to determine whether the transfer of interests in oil mining lease assets by Eni Societa Per Azioni, Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited, and Oando Plc., was carried out in compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 and other relevant regulatory frameworks.
The civil society group alleged that the transaction was conducted in breach of several statutory provisions, including the Guidelines for obtaining minister’s consent to Assignment of Interest in Oil and Gas Assets (2021), the Upstream Petroleum Environmental Regulations (2022), the Gas Flaring, Venting and Methane Emissions Regulations (2023), and the Upstream Petroleum Environmental Remediation Regulations (2024).
Joined in the suit as defendants are the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
HEDA is asking the court to declare the transaction unlawful, invalid, and of no legal effect, claiming that proper legal and environmental procedures were not followed.
The organisation is also seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the relevant government agencies from recognising or approving the deal, as well as an order nullifying any ministerial consent already granted.
In a statement, HEDA’s Chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, said the legal action was part of the organisation’s long-standing commitment to ensuring transparency, environmental justice, and regulatory compliance in Nigeria’s extractive sector.
“This suit is about more than just a corporate deal; it’s about the integrity of our regulatory systems and the future of environmental governance in Nigeria. We cannot continue to allow powerful interests to bypass laws meant to protect citizens, the environment, the economy, and the integrity of the country,” Suraju said.
The organisation maintained that the case represents a significant test of the government’s willingness to enforce the PIA and uphold accountability in the oil and gas industry.
With this legal step, HEDA aims to set a precedent that oil licence transfers and divestments must strictly adhere to Nigerian law, especially in an era where environmental sustainability and responsible governance are paramount.
