The Federal Government has pledged to support efforts to restart exploration activities at the Kolmani Oil Field in Bauchi State, which have been stalled since 2025.
The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Muhammad Bello, made the commitment on Monday during a verification visit to the oil field.
Bello said the commission visited the site to assess the current condition of the project and determine how it could support efforts to get exploration activities back on track.
He described the Kolmani project as important not only to Bauchi State and the North-East but to Nigeria as a whole.
The RMAFC chairman said the commission wanted to restore the momentum generated when the project began in 2023, adding that the agency would use its findings to advocate for its continuation.
Bello also said President Bola Tinubu was concerned about the project and had assured the governors of Bauchi and Gombe states that efforts would be made to remobilise the project.
He explained that RMAFC would assess the project, report its findings to relevant authorities and continue monitoring developments through its oil and gas committee.
Exploration stopped in July 2025
Bauchi State Commissioner for Natural Resources, Maiwada Bello, disclosed that exploration activities at the site stopped in July 2025.
He said the state government became aware of the situation after receiving reports from the host community that the company working on the project was withdrawing its operations.
According to him, the state government subsequently formed a joint team with the relevant local government authorities and met with the technical company handling the project to discuss the situation.
The commissioner said the latest RMAFC visit had renewed expectations that exploration activities would resume.
He assured the commission that the Bauchi State Government, under Governor Bala Mohammed, was prepared to provide the manpower and other support required to facilitate the project.
Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy inspected
During the visit, Bello also inspected the ongoing construction of the Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy.
He commended the state government for establishing an institution capable of producing the skilled manpower needed to support oil and gas operations when the Kolmani project becomes fully operational.
The RMAFC chairman noted that part of the funding used for the academy was provided by the commission.
The renewed push to revive exploration at Kolmani is expected to boost prospects for oil and gas development in Bauchi and the wider North-East, while creating opportunities for local employment and technical capacity development.
