Energy major Shell Plc paid $5.34 billion to the Nigerian government in 2024, the largest amount it remitted to any country, even as it continues to divest from its onshore oil operations in Africa’s largest crude producer.
According to data released in Shell’s annual“Payments to Governments” report, a regulatory disclosure required under UK law, Nigeria topped the company’s global list of government recipients last year, ahead of countries such as Oman, Brazil and Norway.
The figure represents a sharp increase from the $3.8 billion Shell paid to Nigeria in 2023.
Breakdown of Shell’s 2024 payments to Nigeria
Shell’s total remittance of $5.34 billion to Nigeria in 2024 was disbursed across multiple federal institutions and agencies involved in petroleum revenue administration and regional development.
The largest share of over 71% went to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), amounting to $3.8 billion.
A breakdown of the payments is as follows:
- Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC): $3,804,949,166
- Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS): $648,734,398
- Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC): $781,963,813
- Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC): $97,260,899
- National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI): $3,931,917
The payments form part of the $28.1 billion Shell disbursed globally in 2024 to governments for extractive activities, a 5% year-on-year decline in total payouts that mirrored a broader drop in profitability.
- According to the company’s 2024 report, $3.8 billion of the $5.34 billion remitted to Nigeria came from production entitlements — the government’s share of crude oil output under joint venture and production sharing contracts.
- An additional $648.7 million was paid in taxes, while royalties accounted for $770.2 million. Fees and other statutory charges totalled approximately $102 million.
- Project-level data show that the East Asset, one of Shell’s key production hubs, attracted the largest share of entitlements, with $1.3 billion in payments. Oil Mining Lease (OML) 133 accounted for $136.6 million, predominantly in taxes.
- Meanwhile, a cluster of licences — OML 212, OML 118, OML 135, and Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 219 — together attracted $1.4 billion in payments across production entitlements, taxes, royalties, and fees, underlining the fiscal weight of Shell’s upstream footprint in Nigeria.
Comparative global payments
Beyond Nigeria, Shell also paid a total of $28 billion to Government where it operates
- Oman received the next largest share after Nigeria, with about $4.3 billion,n while Brazil, Qatar and Norway received $4.5 billion, $3.33 billion and $3.38 billion, respectively
- African Countries on the list received smaller amounts of with Egypt, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania and Tunisia getting $43 million, $1.3 million, $140k and $29.3 million only.
- In contrast, Shell received a $32 million refund from the UK government, tied to decommissioning costs at the Brent field and other North Sea assets.
That figure was down from the $43 million refund received in 2023.
Revenue implications for Nigeria
Shell has operated in Nigeria for more than eight decades but is now exiting its onshore oil business following years of operational setbacks, community disputes, oil spills, and rising environmental liabilities in the Niger Delta.
The company has described its divestment strategy as a move to “simplify the portfolio” and support its long-term ambition to become a net-zero emissions energy company by 2050.
However, it has committed to retaining its deepwater oil and gas operations in Nigeria, which it considers more aligned with lower-carbon energy goals.
(Nairametrics)
