The Federal Government has announced its intention to revive exploration activities at the Kolmani Oil Field located in Bauchi State, which have been stalled since July 2025. This commitment was made by Muhammad Bello, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), during a verification visit to the site on Monday.

Bello emphasized the significance of the Kolmani project for not only Bauchi State and the North-East region but for the entire nation. He stated, “We want the momentum of the project that was started in 2023 to return.” The chairman expressed the commission's goal to assess the current state of the project and advocate for its continuation, underscoring the importance of the oil field for the local communities.

The RMAFC chairman reassured stakeholders that President Bola Tinubu is keenly interested in the revival of the Kolmani exploration. Bello mentioned that the President had already assured the governors of the region that there would be mobilization efforts to get the project back on track. He stated, “We will go back after assessing what type of project this is and what is going on. We will continue to follow it because we operate by committees, and we will be looking at oil and gas.”

The halt in exploration activities was confirmed by Maiwada Bello, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Natural Resources, who noted that operations had ceased due to the demobilization of the technical company responsible for the project. He explained that the state government had taken proactive measures by forming a joint team with local government representatives to engage with the technical company after receiving reports of the inactivity.

The commissioner expressed optimism that the visit from the RMAFC would help reignite exploration efforts at the Kolmani site. He reiterated the readiness of the Bauchi State Government, under the leadership of Governor Bala Mohammed, to provide the necessary manpower and support to facilitate the project’s revival. “Bauchi State under the leadership of Governor Bala Mohammed is ever ready to provide every manpower needed to support the exploration,” he stated.

In addition to the oil exploration, Bello also inspected the ongoing construction of the Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy, which is being developed to ensure that there is a skilled workforce available once exploration activities resume. He commended the state government for its initiative in establishing institutions that can provide the required manpower for the oil and gas sector, highlighting that part of the funding for the academy came from the RMAFC.

The renewed commitment from the Federal Government and the state authorities signals a potential turnaround for the Kolmani Oil Field project, which has been a focal point for economic development in the region. As stakeholders await further developments, the hope for a resumption of activities at the oil field remains high.