The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has given the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) up to December 15 to appear before it and address allegations of trillion-naira revenue leakages flagged by the Auditor-General of the Federation.
Committee Chairman Rep. Bamidele Salam issued the ultimatum on Monday in Abuja after NNPCL management again failed to honour the committee’s invitations—now seven in total.
NNPCL Requests 60-Day Extension
A letter from the company, read during the session, said the management was unable to attend because of an urgent meeting with the President, asking instead for a 60-day postponement.
Salam rejected the request, stressing that the Auditor-General’s report raised serious concerns over unremitted revenues that should have gone into the Federation Account but were either withheld or unaccounted for.
“The only way we will believe this is a new NNPCL is through a change in conduct and accountability,” Salam said.
He warned that the parliament would not tolerate what appears to be NNPCL’s disregard for lawmakers.
Lawmakers Express Frustration
Members of the committee criticised the national oil company’s repeated absence:
Rep. Hassan Bappa said NNPCL “cannot be above the committee,” stressing that it must comply like any other agency.
Rep. Kafilat Ogbara argued that the company should not be allowed to fix a new date, urging the committee to compel the appearance within the week.
Deputy Chairman Rep. Jeremiah Umaru supported the call for stricter enforcement.
NNPCL Liaison Officer Defends Management
NNPCL’s Liaison Officer to the National Assembly, Umar Farooq, said the company’s absence was not deliberate.
He explained that management had prepared to attend before receiving a last-minute letter from the Presidency on Friday night.
Background: Rising Scrutiny of NNPCL Finances
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar recently demanded an independent probe into the ₦17.5 trillion allegedly spent by the Tinubu administration on pipeline security and related expenses in just one year—calling it “unprecedented” and a “moral indictment.”
NNPCL’s latest audited financial statement shows:
Revenue (2024): ₦45.1 trillion
Profit After Tax: ₦5.4 trillion
Despite these figures, lawmakers and financial experts have repeatedly questioned the opacity of the company’s revenue remittances.
The committee insists that all outstanding documents must be submitted before December 15 to enable proper investigation.