A Nigerian court has ordered oil exploration firm Oriental Energy, owned by billionaire Mohammed Indimi, to pay $43.51 million to two daughters of the oil magnate, Ameena and Zara Indimi.
The ruling, delivered by the Federal High Court, follows years of litigation over unpaid dividends linked to the company’s offshore oil operations, according to Africa Report.
The case has drawn widespread attention because of the scale of the financial claims involved and the prominence of the Indimi family in Nigeria’s energy sector.
What they are saying
Court filings show that the twin sisters argued they jointly held a 10% equity stake in Oriental Energy, entitling them to a share of dividends from a payout pool reportedly valued at about $435 million.
- According to the plaintiffs, their shareholdings were later reduced without their consent, effectively cutting them out of a major dividend round and denying them millions of dollars in earnings.
- The court agreed with their position, ruling that the sisters were entitled to the unpaid dividends and ordering the company to pay the full $43.51 million.
While details of the judge’s reasoning and the precise calculation of the amount have not been fully disclosed, the decision represents a significant shift in a dispute that had largely played out behind closed doors.
Backstory
Mohammed Indimi is the Founder and Chairman of Oriental Energy Resources Limited, a privately-owned oil exploration and production company that he started in 1990. He is one of Nigeria’s most prominent billionaires without a University degree in the country.
The family legal battle has been ongoing. Earlier in February, Indimi’s eldest son filed an affidavit against sisters Ameena and Zara. Oriental Energy had also told a federal court that Muhammadu Indimi bought out his children’s stakes for $10m, meaning they have no grounds to claim $43.5m from the company.
What you should know
Oriental Energy is one of Nigeria’s notable privately held oil companies, with interests in offshore fields that have generated substantial revenues over the years. The ruling therefore carries implications beyond the immediate family, raising broader questions around corporate governance, shareholder rights and transparency within closely held, family-run businesses in Nigeria’s extractive industries.
What began as a private family disagreement has now become a high-profile legal battle. Reports indicate that the feud may extend beyond the twin sisters, with other family members said to be involved in parallel disagreements over ownership stakes, historical payments and whether earlier financial transfers should be treated as gifts or buyouts that extinguished future dividend claims.
