NIGERIA · ENERGY
Thirty-one years after Nigeria executed the writer Ken Saro-Wiwa, the Ogoni, a people of Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta, are again deciding the fate of the oil under their land. Their leaders say no deal will be signed until ordinary Ogoni have had their say.
A panel that runs the federal government’s talks with Ogoni communities met in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to review a proposed memorandum of understanding, a written agreement, on restarting oil extraction. Oil extraction in Ogoniland was suspended in 1993, and the talks are about restarting it.
Key Facts
—Who. The Ogoni Dialogue Committee, set up by President Bola Tinubu to run talks with Ogoni communities, will not sign yet.
—What. It wants community congresses in all four Ogoni council areas to approve any deal to restart oil output.
—Where. Ogoniland, in Rivers State in the Niger Delta, has seen no oil extraction since 1993.
—Rivals. Another Ogoni body, the Ogoni Peoples’ Assembly, is reported to want a congress to ratify any deal.
—Next. Council chairmen are to host the congresses, and no dates have been published.
Ogoni leaders say consent must come before oil. Rival groups set tougher conditions, and the text of the draft deal is not public.
What Happened
The Ogoni Dialogue Committee met in Port Harcourt on Monday 9 November 2026. According to reports of the meeting, it will not sign the proposed memorandum until “credible and authentic congresses” are held in Eleme, Gokana, Khana and Tai, the four Ogoni local government areas.
The chairmen of the four councils are to host the congresses. No dates have been published.
Why It Matters
Consent is the sticking point. The Ogoni part of the oilfield sits in a licence block called OML 11, and a restart depends on the communities that live on it.
The Ogoni Peoples’ Assembly, a community body, is reported to have rejected any deal on 24 September 2026 unless an Ogoni congress ratifies it. It also wants Bori State, a proposed new state for the Ogoni areas, treated as a precondition.
That statement is reported, not confirmed by a second source. The Assembly’s other demands are not repeated here for the same reason.
A coalition of Ogoni diaspora, youth and civil-society groups went further on 10 September 2026. They say Shell, the oil major, plans a London sale of OML 11 that they value at US$2.4 billion, and they reject resumption unless Shell withdraws it.
That sale and its value are the groups’ claims, and we have not confirmed them. The groups also criticised the dialogue committee itself.
What Happens Next
The first checkpoint is the date of the four local congresses, which has not been published. The second is any decision on signing, which the committee says must wait for the congresses.
For the wider picture, read our explainer on Nigeria’s natural resources, our guide to who holds power in Nigeria and our Nigeria news page. Together they explain the oil and the politics behind the talks.
What It Means for You
For readers following Nigerian oil supply, Ogoniland is a reminder that a shut field can stay shut for reasons of politics and trust, not geology. Any restart depends on community votes, not only on a deal in Abuja, the capital.
Today is also the anniversary of the execution of Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists on 10 November 1995, according to Amnesty International, the human rights group. That history is why Ogoni leaders treat the word consent so seriously.
What Is Not Known
The text of the draft memorandum has not been published, and the federal government’s current position on it is not public. The Assembly’s reported fear that a signing may be prepared in Abuja is unconfirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is oil extraction in Ogoniland about to restart?
Not yet. Oil extraction in Ogoniland was suspended in 1993, and Ogoni leaders say it can only restart with the community’s consent.
What is the Ogoni Dialogue Committee?
It is the panel President Bola Tinubu set up to run the federal government’s talks with Ogoni communities. It is now reviewing a proposed deal on resuming oil work in Ogoniland.
Is the draft deal public?
No, the text of the draft memorandum has not been published. The Ogoni Peoples’ Assembly is reported to fear that a signing may be prepared in Abuja without wider consultation.
Sources
Amnesty International, November 2025 · Statements by the Ogoni Dialogue Committee (9 November 2026) and an Ogoni diaspora coalition (10 September 2026)
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