The Senate has intensified its scrutiny of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), ordering both current and former top executives to appear before its Public Accounts Committee on April 29 over unresolved financial queries amounting to N210 trillion in audit concerns covering the period between 2017 and 2023.
The directive requires the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Engineer Bayo Ojulari, to appear alongside former GCEO Mele Kyari, former Chief Financial Officer Umar Ajia, Dr. Bala Wunti, and external auditors of the company.
The summons followed a motion moved by Senator Osita Izunaso and seconded by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, amid rising concerns over what lawmakers described as unsatisfactory explanations provided by the national oil company regarding audit findings.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said the upper chamber would no longer accept general or vague responses to issues involving huge public funds, insisting that Nigerians deserve full transparency.
He explained that N103 trillion of the disputed amount had been broadly categorised by NNPCL as “liabilities,” a classification the committee found inadequate.
“Liabilities are not a single line item. They comprise retention fees, legal fees, and audit fees.
”The specific amounts spent on each of these components must be clearly stated and justified,” Wadada said.
He further demanded a detailed breakdown of the remaining N107 trillion, which the company reportedly attributed to Joint Venture Cash Calls and obligations linked to defunct financial institutions that were not clearly identified.
“Detailed explanations must also be provided on the N107 trillion said to have been spent on JVC cash calls and funds tied to defunct financial institutions whose identities have not even been disclosed,” he added.
The committee said it had issued 19 separate queries to NNPCL, but described the responses received so far as unsatisfactory and lacking in clarity.
Wadada stated that the Senate expected full accountability for all public funds, stressing that Nigerians were entitled to detailed explanations on how such large sums were managed.
The committee subsequently granted the company a final two-week deadline to appear before it, warning that failure to comply would prompt the Senate to invoke its constitutional powers to compel attendance.
“The deadline for compliance is Wednesday, April 29, 2026,” he said.
The development reflects growing frustration among lawmakers over what they described as repeated failure by NNPCL officials to honour legislative invitations.
During the session, Senator Abdul Ningi called for stricter enforcement measures, urging the Senate to assert its constitutional authority.
“We must treat this matter with the utmost seriousness. The essence of democracy rests significantly on the strength and authority of the legislature,” he said.
He also warned that ignoring parliamentary summons undermines democratic oversight and weakens institutional accountability.
The Senate’s action marks one of its most aggressive oversight moves in recent years against the national oil company, as legislators push to clarify discrepancies in financial records and improve transparency in oil revenue management.
With the April 29 deadline approaching, attention now shifts to whether the summoned officials will appear before the committee or risk further legislative sanctions.
