The Nigerian Senate has fixed April 29, 2026, as the deadline for the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to appear before it over unresolved audit queries involving N210 trillion.
The directive followed a meeting of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Aliyu Wadada, who represents Nasarawa West, on Wednesday. The committee is demanding explanations for funds flagged in audit reports spanning 2017 to 2023.
The panel specifically ordered the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Engineer Bayo Ojulari, to appear alongside former GCEO Mele Kyari, ex-Chief Financial Officer Umar Ajia, Bala Wunti, and the company’s external auditors.
The resolution followed a motion moved by Osita Izunaso (APC, Imo West) and seconded by Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North).
Speaking after the meeting, Wadada stressed that the committee was dissatisfied with the explanations so far provided by NNPCL on the queried sum. He insisted that Nigerians deserve comprehensive and verifiable details.
According to him, the committee rejected the company’s explanation that N103 trillion of the amount represented liabilities, noting that such liabilities must be clearly broken down into components such as retention, legal, and audit fees, with specific figures attached.
He further demanded a detailed account of the remaining N107 trillion, which NNPCL claimed was spent on joint venture cash calls and debts allegedly owed by unnamed defunct banks.
“The Senate is not satisfied with blanket explanations. Every kobo must be properly accounted for,” Wadada said, adding that the agency has been given two weeks to comply with the summons.
Earlier, a member of the committee, Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), called for the invocation of the National Assembly’s constitutional powers to compel the appearance of the NNPCL management, citing repeated failures to honour invitations.
Ningi warned that continued disregard for legislative summons undermines the authority of the parliament and weakens democratic accountability.
