NEITI audit probe suffers setback as CBN, NDDC, NUPRC fail to appear before Senate

An investigation by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts into Nigeria's Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) audit reports for 2021, 2022, and 2023 has been postponed. The hearing was set to examine revenues, remittances, financial obligations, and operational activities in the extractive sector but was stalled when key government agencies failed to appear.

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We scheduled this hearing in order to reduce the volume of work before the National Assembly and to promote and enhance our oversight responsibilities as members of the National Assembly.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), along with NEITI officials, were absent from the scheduled hearing. The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, had issued invitations and published notices in national newspapers, emphasizing the importance of these oversight responsibilities.

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Letters were issued, invitations were sent, and advertisements were placed in at least three national newspapers. Yet, more than one or two hours after the meeting was scheduled to begin, our guests have still not arrived.

Senator Dankwambo expressed disappointment, noting that the agencies' absence undermined the legislative process. He stated that letters were properly issued and advertisements placed, yet the invited guests did not arrive. Other committee members, including Senators Babangida Hussaini and Patrick Ndubueze, urged the Senate to invoke its constitutional powers and impose sanctions on the non-compliant agencies for showing disregard for the committee's authority.

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The refusal of any agency to appear before the committee to respond to audit queries undermined the oversight responsibilities of the National Assembly.

Despite the setback, the committee has rescheduled the hearing for Thursday, August 6, 2026, and directed the chief accounting officers of the absent agencies to appear. Failure to comply will result in sanctions under the 1999 Constitution and Senate Standing Orders. The public hearing is expected to continue with appearances from other bodies, including the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

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Their failure to attend or provide explanations showed disregard for the committee.