After a general presentation of the hydrocarbon sector in Nigeria, this paper will focus on the redistribution mechanisms for oil revenues. Soon after Nigeria'sindependence, the confrontation between federal government and the states on the issue of oil revenues has directly shaped the whole country and furthermore influenced the behavior of the political elites. Today, despite a clear improvement in the flows of oil revenue toward the oil-producing states of the delta over the past five years, the region's development continues to lag.