(JUBA) – South Sudan’s Parliament will now scrutinise all oil contracts and may veto agreements that do not meet regulatory and environmental standards, a senior lawmaker announced on 3 December 2025.
Oliver Mori Benjamin, Chairperson of the Specialized Committee on Information, made the statement during a workshop organised by the Media Authority and Journalists for Human Rights. He said that oil exploration and production companies must submit every new contract to the National Legislative Assembly for final approval.
The move aims to address environmental pollution and corruption linked to opaque contracting processes that have affected South Sudan’s petroleum sector for years. Mori compared the country’s oil regions with other global producers, stating that pollution levels in South Sudan are higher than those in desert oil-producing regions of the Middle East.
According to Mori, previous contracts were signed directly between oil companies and the relevant ministry, bypassing parliamentary review. He described this practice as flawed and emphasised that all future contracts require legislative ratification.
The National Assembly has introduced strict conditions for the executive branch to follow, ensuring better governance and protection of national resources. These rules apply not only to oil and gas contracts but also to agreements related to gold and other natural resources.
Mori added that any contracts signed by the Ministry of Finance with development banks, including the World Bank or the African Development Bank, must also be approved by Parliament to be valid.
He stressed that implementing these checks and balances will help prevent environmental crises and governance problems in South Sudan’s petroleum sector. “If these conditions are implemented, we will not face the problems we are currently experiencing, and no one will ask Parliament what it has done,” Mori said.
Parliamentary Oversight of Oil Contracts
| Component | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Authority | South Sudan National Legislative Assembly |
| Scope | All new oil, gas, gold, and natural resource contracts |
| Purpose | Combat environmental pollution and corruption |
| Previous Process | Contracts signed directly with ministries, no parliamentary review |
| New Requirement | Legislative ratification for all agreements |
| Development Bank Contracts | World Bank and AfDB agreements must also be ratified |
| Key Advocate | Oliver Mori Benjamin, Chair, Specialized Committee on Information |
| Target Regions | Oil-producing areas, including Paloich in Melut County, Upper Nile State |
| Expected Outcome | Improved governance, reduced environmental damage, greater transparency |
