Oil
Nigerian churches deny claims of presidential oil well allocations
Major Nigerian Christian ministries have strongly refuted assertions that a former head of state gifted petroleum assets to their founders.
Key points
- Rev. Mosy Madugba alleged that a past president distributed petroleum assets to prominent clerics.
- Representatives for Pastors Adeboye, Oyedepo, and Kumuyi rejected the assertions outright.
- Church officials noted that petroleum resources are strictly regulated by national laws.
What happened
Punch reported that three prominent Nigerian Christian organisations have responded to claims made by the head of the Ministers’ Prayer Network, Rev. Mosy Madugba. In a video recording that circulated widely on social media platforms, Madugba asserted that former President Olusegun Obasanjo granted oil prospecting assets to several high-profile religious figures in Lagos. The cleric named Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church Worldwide, and William Kumuyi of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry as beneficiaries.
Representatives for the religious leaders dismissed the statements as entirely baseless. A media aide speaking on behalf of Kumuyi described the assertion as ridiculous, maintaining that the senior pastor is dedicated exclusively to pastoral duties and spiritual matters. Similarly, Patrick Nkamiang, the media director for Living Faith Church Worldwide, challenged the premise of the viral remarks. Nkamiang emphasized that petroleum resources are governed by national legislation rather than being at the personal disposal of a sitting president. He added that the institution maintains strict transparency regarding financial inflows.
An official from the Redeemed Christian Church of God indicated that the organisation would withhold further commentary until the accuser presents verifiable proof. Meanwhile, attempts by journalists to secure a response from former President Obasanjo through his media aide were unsuccessful, and Madugba’s organisation has yet to release supporting documentation.
Why it matters
Accusations involving petroleum assets carry significant weight in Nigeria, where hydrocarbons dominate the national economy. According to World Bank figures from 2025, fuel exports account for 85.9 per cent of the country's total merchandise exports, compared to a global average of just 9.5 per cent. The sector remains central to public revenue, economic stability, and intense public scrutiny. Allegations linking religious leaders to crude oil concessions touch upon sensitive public perceptions regarding wealth, influence, and transparency in the management of the nation's primary resource wealth.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Crude benchmarks move budgets, currencies and inflation in producer and importer countries alike. For economies such as Nigeria, where fuels dominate exports, production and refining decisions move the whole economy.
85.9% of Nigeria’s merchandise exports were fuels in 2025Countries 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.
