The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has given the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) until December 15 to explain alleged revenue leakages, following repeated failures to attend scheduled hearings. The announcement was made by Committee Chairman Rep. Bamidele Salam during Monday’s session in Abuja.
NNPCL management, in a letter read by Salam, requested a 60-day extension, blaming their absence on a meeting with the President. The chairman, however, criticised the company for ignoring previous invitations, stressing that the committee had formally contacted the firm over seven times.
Salam said the committee found the defiance of NNPCL unacceptable, highlighting Auditor-General reports of significant revenue losses—amounting to trillions of naira—that should have been credited to the federation account. He insisted that accountability and proper corporate governance were necessary for the company to regain public trust.
“The only way we will agree that this is a new NNPCL is to see a shift in the conduct of your affairs, including your corporate management practice,” Salam stated. He added that all outstanding documents must be submitted ahead of the new hearing.
Committee members reinforced the chairman’s stance. Rep. Hassan Bappa (PDP-Taraba) asserted that NNPCL cannot place itself above parliamentary oversight. “This is their final bus stop if they continue to flout the House,” he warned.
Rep. Kafilat Ogbara (APC-Lagos) insisted that the committee should move a motion to compel the company to appear promptly, a position supported by Deputy Chairman Rep. Jeremiah Umaru (APC-Nasarawa).
NNPCL’s Liaison Officer to the National Assembly, Mr Umar Farooq, explained that the company was prepared to appear before the committee until receiving a last-minute directive from the presidency. He stressed that the company is now “willing and ready to partner with the parliament for the good of all Nigerians.”
The December 15 deadline marks a critical point for NNPCL to demonstrate transparency and accountability in response to allegations of significant financial mismanagement and unremitted revenues, which the committee has flagged as a matter of national concern.
