Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom Share 75% of Nigeria's N321 Billion Oil Money in 3 Months
- Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom received about 75% of the N321.90bn oil derivation funds shared among 11 states in Q1 2026
- Delta got the highest allocation at N101.60bn, followed by Bayelsa with N71.64bn and Akwa Ibom with N69.39bn
- The huge gap in payments reflects differences in oil production, with new producers Enugu and Kogi receiving only N46,991 each
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Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering energy, MSMEs, technology, banking and the economy.
Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom accounted for almost three-quarters of the N321.90bn shared among Nigeria’s oil-producing states as derivation revenue in the first quarter of 2026.
Data analysed by BudgIT Nigeria, based on figures from the National Bureau of Statistics and the Federation Account Allocation Committee, showed that 11 states received payments under the 13 per cent derivation arrangement between January and March 2026.
Source: UGC
Delta State topped the list with N101.60bn, while Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom followed with N71.64bn and N69.39bn respectively.
Together, the three states received approximately 75 per cent of the total derivation revenue distributed during the quarter, highlighting the significant advantage enjoyed by states with substantial crude oil production.
Rivers Takes Fourth Position
Rivers State ranked fourth, collecting N46.09bn during the three-month period.
When combined with the allocations to Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom, the four leading beneficiaries accounted for nearly 90 per cent of the entire N321.90bn derivation pool.
The other oil-producing states received considerably lower amounts. Ondo got N9.39bn, followed by Edo with N7.47bn and Imo with N7.39bn.
Abia received N5.42bn, while Anambra collected N3.49bn. Enugu and Kogi, which are the newest states to join the list of oil-producing states, received just N46,991 each.
The wide gap in payments reflects the concentration of Nigeria’s oil production in a handful of states. States with larger producing fields and established petroleum infrastructure generally receive significantly higher derivation revenues.
Delta’s N101.60bn allocation, for instance, was more than two million times the amount received individually by Enugu and Kogi.
Oil Production Drives Revenue Gap
Imo’s N7.39bn allocation is notable given its considerable gas resources and ongoing upstream operations by energy companies in the state.
Under Nigeria’s Constitution, states where petroleum resources are extracted are entitled to 13 per cent of the revenue derived from those resources. The principle is intended to compensate oil-producing states for the exploitation of natural resources within their territories.
Production levels therefore play a major role in determining how much each state receives, putting states with relatively small or emerging output at a significant disadvantage in the distribution.
The amount shared among oil-producing states has increased substantially in recent years. The states collectively received N1.51tn in derivation revenue in 2025, compared with N671.9bn in 2024.
The number of beneficiary states has also increased from nine to 11 following the inclusion of Enugu and Kogi. However, their current allocations remain largely symbolic because their oil production is still relatively low.
Source: Legit.ng
