Nigerian Court Nullifies FG's Revocation of Dawes Island Marginal Field License, Orders Reinstatement

The Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice O. Awogboro, has declared the Federal Government's revocation of the Dawes Island Marginal Field License as unlawful and ordered its reinstatement to Eurafr Energy Limited.

The court ruled that the revocation was contrary to due process, as the Ministry of Petroleum Resources breached the Petroleum Act and applicable guidelines governing marginal fields. The revocation notice issued on April 6, 2020, was deemed invalid, stripping Eurafr Energy of its rights and interests in the oil assets.

The court found that Eurafr Energy had made substantial developments in the field, producing over 62,000 barrels of crude oil and obtaining regulatory approvals for crude evacuation. The government's failure to justify the revocation, lack of fair hearing, and failure to follow prescribed procedures were cited as reasons for the nullification.

The court also restrained the government from transferring or reallocating the field to any other entity.