In 2011, one of the biggest scandals in Africa’s oil history unfolded. Royal Dutch Shell and Italian oil giant Eni paid $1.1 billion for a lucrative offshore oil block in Nigeria known as OPL 245. On paper, the money was meant to go to the Nigerian government. In reality, investigations later revealed that a huge portion was siphoned off to politicians, middlemen, and power brokers.
This deal became a textbook case of how resource wealth in Africa is often captured by elites rather than benefiting citizens. Despite being Africa’s largest oil producer, Nigeria still struggles with fuel shortages, poverty, and unemployment. The OPL 245 case symbolized a larger problem: billions in oil revenue vanish through corruption and backdoor deals while public services remain underfunded.
After years of legal battles in multiple countries, both Shell and Eni admitted the money went into corrupt channels, though they denied wrongdoing. For Nigerians, the scandal reinforced the bitter reality of the
“resource curse” — where having oil wealth brings not prosperity, but exploitation.
The OPL 245 case is more than a scandal; it’s a reminder of why Africa’s natural resources often enrich foreign corporations and local elites, while ordinary citizens remain excluded from the wealth beneath their feet
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