Jane Salihu
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered more than N115 billion in statutory levies owed to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by defaulting oil companies, even as the Senate intensified its scrutiny of the sector and ordered top executives of major oil firms to appear before its Public Accounts Committee.
The disclosure was made on Wednesday by an EFCC representative, Mr Francis Oka-Phillips Usani, while appearing before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts investigating queries contained in the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) 2021–2023 Oil and Gas Sector Audit Report.
Usani told the committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, that the EFCC investigated 43 oil companies over outstanding three per cent statutory levies payable to the NDDC.
According to him, 24 of the companies operating within the Niger Delta were found to have outstanding liabilities amounting to N76.884 billion and $81.077 million, while 19 others were cleared after the investigation.
He explained that following the EFCC’s investigation and pressure on the affected companies, some of them paid outstanding liabilities directly to the NDDC, amounting to N6.709 billion and $16.994 million.
The EFCC representative further disclosed that a total of N73.373 billion and $67.070 million recovered in connection with the investigation had so far been released to the NDDC, while N3.510 billion and $14.005 million remained in the commission’s recovery account.
The figures put the spotlight not only on the scale of unpaid statutory obligations in the oil industry, but also on the difference between funds recovered and those already transferred to the NDDC.
Usani said the EFCC’s investigation was primarily focused on unpaid three per cent statutory levies due to the NDDC, as identified in the NEITI audit, while noting that the commission was also mindful of other statutory obligations and taxes that could be owed to the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, the Senate committee adopted a tougher approach towards oil companies appearing before it, rejecting an attempt by TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited to respond to queries raised in the audit report after the company appeared to be inadequately represented.
The committee consequently directed the Managing Director of TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited to appear before it personally on a date to be fixed next week.
The committee also gave the Managing Directors of South Atlantic Petroleum Limited, Oando Oil Limited, Famfa Oil and Green Energy International Limited what it described as a final opportunity to make physical appearances before the panel.
The development signals a shift in the committee’s handling of the NEITI audit queries, with the lawmakers insisting that issues involving substantial statutory liabilities must be addressed directly by the chief executives of the companies concerned rather than junior representatives.
The Senate’s position also places greater emphasis on accountability beyond the recovery of funds, as the committee seeks explanations on outstanding obligations, remittances and compliance with statutory requirements in the extractive sector.
At the end of the session, Senator Dankwambo said the investigation would continue on Thursday, indicating that more oil companies are expected to face the committee as the Senate deepens its examination of the findings contained in the NEITI audit report.
