Gas
Nigerian court acquits defendants in OPL 245 case
A Federal High Court in Abuja has discharged Malabu Oil and Gas and other defendants in a long-standing money laundering trial.
Key points
- The court dismissed 43 counts brought by the EFCC regarding the OPL 245 transaction.
- The judge criticized the prosecution for failing to complete investigations before filing charges.
- A separate case involving an alleged 300 million naira payment was also dismissed.
What happened
According to Premium Times and UA.News, the Federal High Court in Abuja has cleared Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, AA Oil Limited chairman Aliyu Abubakar, and six other corporate entities of money laundering charges. Judge Inyang Ekwo ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to establish the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
The proceedings centred on the disputed Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245 block. Prosecutors had alleged that hundreds of millions of dollars were unlawfully channelled through commercial banks. In a separate ruling, Judge Ekwo also dismissed remaining charges against Mr Abubakar concerning an alleged 300 million naira payment originating from a 2017 case.
Why it matters
Fuel exports accounted for 85.9 percent of Nigeria's merchandise exports in 2025, according to World Bank figures provided by CEII Data, underlining the vital economic role of the hydrocarbons sector. Legal disputes surrounding exploration blocks like OPL 245, which dates back to a 1998 award and a subsequent 2011 settlement valued at approximately 1.3 billion US dollars involving the government alongside international energy companies, have long shaped the investment climate for the country's petroleum industry.
During the proceedings, the court highlighted investigative shortcomings and noted that the prosecution had proceeded despite a 2018 directive from the former Attorney-General of the Federation advising against trial due to insufficient evidence. The judge emphasized that investigative bodies must substantiate their work rather than rely on assumptions.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Gas is the flexible backbone of many grids and the designated transition fuel in many national plans, from LNG trade to domestic LPG and CNG. Supply security and pricing drive both power reliability and emissions.
21.9% of electricity in the world came from gas in 2024Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
