Reps summon NNPCL boss over abandoned projects, tax breaches

By : Sodiq Omolaoye

Date: 8 December 2025 8:37pm WAT

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Bayo Ojulari

Bayo Ojulari

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House of Representatives has summoned the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, to appear before it on Monday, December 15, 2025, over multiple audit queries issued by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation for the 2021 financial year.

Chairman of the committee, Bamidele Salam, issued the directive at the committee’s sitting on Monday at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

Salam expressed concern over NNPCL’s repeated failure to honour invitations or submit requested documents despite several reminders, warning that lawmakers’ patience had been exhausted.

He insisted that the committee would not abdicate its constitutional duty to scrutinise agencies under its purview. During the resumed hearing, Salam, who represents Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency of Osun State, read a letter from the NNPCL CEO explaining his absence due to an official engagement at the Presidential Villa.

The explanation was rejected by committee members, who described it as disrespectful to parliament and an obstruction to the audit review process.

An appeal by NNPCL’s National Assembly Liaison Officer, Hon. Umar Faruk, prompted the committee to grant a final extension, fixing December 15 for the company to appear and submit all outstanding documents.

“We have agreed as a committee to give you till next Monday, December 15, for a fresh appearance. This committee is extremely busy; if you have been here in recent weeks, you would understand the volume of matters before us.” NNPCL is expected to address several audit red flags, including alleged payments to contractors for abandoned projects, failure to deduct statutory taxes, and irregular payments reportedly authorised by the Chief Finance Officer without the then Group Managing Director’s approval.

The PAC, constitutionally empowered to examine audit reports from the Auditor-General, has in recent years broadened its oversight to address misuse of public funds, contract inflation, unauthorised expenditures, unretired advances and non-remittance of revenue to the Federation Account.

Its interventions have led to major recoveries for the Federal Government and exposed widespread breaches of procurement and financial regulations.

The petroleum sector, particularly NNPCL, has been a frequent feature of PAC hearings, owing to recurring audit concerns, including opaque subsidy claims, undocumented payments, joint venture cash calls and gaps in crude oil sales and remittances.

The committee has repeatedly maintained that no institution, regardless of size or strategic relevance, is exempt from parliamentary oversight.

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