FG Appeals Court Ruling on Dawes Island License Restoration

The Federal Government of Nigeria is seeking to reverse a judgment from the Federal High Court in Lagos that restored the Dawes Island margin field license to Eurafric Energy Limited. The appeal, represented by Adebayo Ologun from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, argues that Eurafric failed to develop the oil asset and achieve commercial production despite holding the license for 17 years.

The appeal references a judgment delivered on January 29, 2026, by Justice Abimbola Awogboro, which granted Eurafric declaratory and injunctive relief. The government contends that Eurafric did not meet the primary objective of developing the margin field, which was awarded in February 2003, and failed to commence production within the stipulated five years.

The government claims that despite receiving multiple extensions from 2011 to 2016, Eurafric did not meet production milestones and was informed that the 2016 extension was their last opportunity to bring the field into production. The appeal challenges the lower court's reliance on the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021 and argues that the revocation of the license was lawful under the Petroleum Act.