The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has overturned a Federal High Court ruling that annulled Senator Ifeanyi Araraume’s removal as non-executive chairman of the NNPC Ltd Board and awarded him ₦5 billion in damages.
Delivering judgment on 8 August 2025, the appellate court upheld NNPC Ltd’s appeal, ruling that the earlier decision was delivered in error and that the claim was statute-barred.
The decision spares the state-owned oil company a massive financial payout and removes a legal threat that could have invalidated all board decisions taken since 2021.
The ruling also secures governance stability for NNPC Ltd, sets a corporate governance precedent in Nigerian law, and affirms the validity of board resolutions seen as critical to investment and policy direction in the oil and gas sector.
