NEITI report: Senate gives Seplat, three others 48-hour ultimatum

The Nigerian Senate has issued a stern 48-hour ultimatum to Seplat Energy, Network E&P Nigeria Limited, All Grace Energy Limited, and Aradel Energy Limited, demanding their appearance to address findings from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) audit reports covering 2021, 2022, and 2023.

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, issued the ultimatum after expressing dissatisfaction with the companies' failure to respond to previous invitations. Network E&P Nigeria Limited, in particular, had missed two consecutive committee sittings. The company's explanation that it reported to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) was deemed "disturbing" by former Deputy Senate Leader Senator Abdul Ningi, who stressed the National Assembly's constitutional power to summon any entity.

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The Senate and, by extension, the National Assembly, is the custodian of Nigeria’s laws and has the power to invite anybody or agency for explanations on issues raised against them.

Senator Shehu Kaka Lawan supported the call to invoke legislative powers against non-compliant companies. Consequently, Senator Dankwambo directed the Managing Director of Network E&P Nigeria Limited to appear within 48 hours or face "full invocation of legislative powers." Similar deadlines were given to the managing directors of All Grace Energy Limited, Aradel Energy Limited, and Seplat Energy.

In a separate matter during the committee's sitting, Dubri Oil Company Limited appeared and disputed a $3.025 million debt attributed to it in the NEITI audit report. This amount, reportedly based on NUPRC data from 2025, comprises royalty and gas flare debts owed to the Federal Government. The committee is investigating these discrepancies and compliance issues within the extractive industries.

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Having failed to honour the invitation of this committee on two consecutive occasions, the Managing Director of Network E&P Nigeria Limited should appear before us unfailingly on Thursday this week or risk full invocation of legislative powers against him.