Hiiraan Online

Mogadishu (HOL) — The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has rejected Ethiopia’s management of oil production in the Somali Regional State, accusing Addis Ababa of sidelining local communities and failing to share the benefits of the region’s natural wealth.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, speaking recently before Ethiopia’s parliament, said his government was prepared to begin using oil extracted from new wells in the Somali region for domestic markets. The oil fields are located in Kaali, in Dhoobaweyn district of Qorraxay region, and in Elele district of Shabelle region.

ONLF spokesperson Adani Hirmooge told the BBC that the group opposes the sale of Somali region oil to foreign companies without local consultation. “Our people were not consulted — not even the current regional administration was involved,” he said. “Neither ONLF, which fought for this region, nor elders or intellectuals were asked for their input.”

Hirmooge said the federal government’s approach mirrors long-standing economic marginalization. “The government collects millions in taxes from border towns like Wajaale, Mooyaale, and Djibouti, yet the Somali region receives nothing,” he said. “This time, they are exploiting oil without even speaking to us.”

He argued that oil drilling cannot proceed without community approval. “In Australia, where I live, you cannot drill even a single hole without the consent of the local people,” he said. “Who gave permission to drill on Somali land?”

The ONLF also criticized the lack of transparency in revenue-sharing plans, saying no framework has been disclosed for how profits will be distributed. “It doesn’t work to tell us this oil benefits us while you decide how it’s divided and expect us to be happy,” Hiirmooge said, adding that land, wealth, and political authority should remain in the hands of the Somali people.

When asked whether the ONLF’s 2018 peace deal with the Ethiopian government included terms on resource management, Hirmooge said the issue was among unresolved disputes — including self-determination, ownership of assets, and accountability for past abuses. Two committees were formed to address these matters, but, he said, “progress stalled on Ethiopia’s side.”

The ONLF, once a separatist movement that fought for self-determination in Ethiopia’s Somali region, signed a peace agreement in 2018 that formally ended decades of armed conflict. However, tensions persist over autonomy and control of the region’s resources.

Energy analysts have projected that Ethiopia could earn up to $1.2 billion from oil production in the early years, with revenues potentially rising to $7 billion as extraction expands.