I thought the case is all about reinforcement that oil companies operate under licenses grant by the Federal Government not landowners

You've touched on a very important aspect of oil and gas law in Nigeria, which is indeed that oil companies operate under licenses granted by the Federal Government, not directly by landowners. This principle is enshrined in laws like the Petroleum Act and the Land Use Act, which vest ownership and control of petroleum in the Federal Government.

However, while that principle is fundamental to the industry, the primary decision and legal precedent established by the Supreme Court in Elf Petroleum v Umah (2018) specifically focused on the issue of locus standi. The court clarified that a community, as a collective entity, has the legal right to sue for environmental damage caused by oil exploration, even if individual members cannot prove specific personal injury. This was a significant development for environmental litigation in Nigeria.

So, while the issue of federal licenses versus landowner rights is always a background factor in such cases, the Elf Petroleum v Umah case is particularly noted for its contribution to the law on locus standi for communities in environmental matters.