By Oke Peter
On August 8, 2025, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal ruled in favor of NNPC Limited, overturning a Federal High Court decision from April 2023 that had nullified the removal of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as the non-executive Chairman of the NNPC Board and awarded him ₦5 billion in damages.
The appellate court’s ruling spares NNPC Ltd from a substantial financial liability and eliminates a legal threat that could have jeopardized all board decisions made since 2021.
The court found that the Federal High Court‘s judgment was flawed, agreeing with NNPC Ltd.’s argument that the case was statute-barred, among other legal issues.
This outcome ensures continued governance stability for NNPC Ltd., reinforces a critical corporate governance benchmark in Nigerian law, and affirms the legitimacy of board actions pivotal to the country’s oil and gas sector.
