President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the bill amending the Deep Offshore (and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract) Act.
equitable share of income from its own natural resources for the first time since 2003.
The bill seeks to amend the act by reviewing the sharing formula to accrue more benefits to the federal government.
President Buhari described the new law as “a landmark moment for Nigeria”.
He wrote: “This afternoon I assented to the Bill amending the Deep Offshore (and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract) Act. This is a landmark moment for Nigeria; let me use this opportunity to thank the National Assembly for the cooperation that produced this long-overdue amendment.
“You will recall that in my 2020 Budget Presentation Speech before the National Assembly in October, I highlighted the need to urgently review the fiscal terms for deep offshore oil fields, to reflect current realities and to ensure increased government revenues.
“Now, a month later, we have together with the 9th National Assembly made history with the passage and the signing of the amended Bill into law. We will continue to work together to deliver on all our promises to ensure inclusive growth and enhance the welfare of all Nigerians.”
Although Nigeria signed the first set of PSCs in 1993, while the DOIBPSC was enacted in 1999, failure to review the PSC act has reportedly caused the country to lose about $28 billion.
The amendment of section 16 of the production sharing contract act would generate at least $500 million as additional revenue for the federal government in 2020, and an estimated $1.4 billion as from 2021.
In a separate statement, the presidency quoted Buhari as saying with the new law, Nigeria will now receive its “fair, rightful and equitable share of income from our own natural resources for the first time since 2003″
“All this time Nigeria has failed to secure its equitable share of the proceeds of oil production, for all attempts to amend the law on the distribution of income have failed. That is, until today,” he said.
“Rapid reductions in the cost of exploration, extraction and maintenance of oil fields had occurred over these 25 years, at the same time as sales prices have risen.
“A combination of complicity by Nigerian politicians and feet-dragging by oil companies has, for more than a quarter-century, conspired to keep taxes to the barest minimum above $20 per barrel – even as now the price is some three times the value.
“Today this changes. For the first time under our amended law, 200 million Nigerians will start to receive a fair return on the surfeit of resources of our lands. Increased income will allow for new hospitals, schools, infrastructure and jobs.”
The president added that the amendment signals the beginning of beneficial relationship with oil company partners: “one that benefits all – starting with the Nigerian people”.
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