The Senate’s planned investigation into the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) audit reports covering the oil and gas sector from 2021 to 2023 suffered a setback on Monday after key government agencies failed to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts.
The affected agencies are the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) were absent at the commencement of the public hearing despite invitations from the committee.
Also absent was the management of NEITI, the agency that produced the audit reports forming the basis of the investigation.
The three-week public hearing, convened by the Senate Public Accounts Committee chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe North), is aimed at examining findings contained in NEITI’s 2021–2023 audit reports on Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
Expressing displeasure over the absence of the invited agencies, the committee directed their management teams to appear without fail on Thursday, August 6, warning that non-compliance would attract sanctions under the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Senate Standing Orders.
Senator Dankwabo said the committee would not tolerate any attempt to undermine its oversight responsibilities, stressing that all affected agencies must honour the rescheduled invitation.
During deliberations, committee member Senator Babangida Hussaini (Jigawa North-West) urged the panel to invoke its constitutional powers against the defaulting agencies.
Relying on Sections 47 and 60 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Senator Hussaini argued that the committee derives its authority from the Constitution and Senate rules, making compliance with its summons mandatory.
He described the agencies’ failure to appear as a slight on the National Assembly and the Nigerian people.
“The institutional integrity of the Senate is being undermined,” Hussaini said, adding that “drastic measures need to be taken in line with our rules.”
Another member of the committee, Senator Patrick Ndubueze (Imo North), opposed granting the agencies a second opportunity to appear, insisting that their conduct warranted immediate sanctions.
According to him, none of the agencies sent a representative or communicated any reason for their absence.
“This reflects the level of commitment of government agencies in this country,” Ndubueze said. “No letter was written. No excuse was offered.
No representative was sent to explain why the chief executives could not attend. To me, they don’t deserve to be given any second chance.”
Despite Monday’s setback, the committee said it would continue with the public hearing as scheduled.
Officials expected to appear in subsequent sessions include representatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), and other relevant institutions.
The Senate’s probe seeks to scrutinise issues raised in the NEITI audit reports with the aim of strengthening transparency, accountability, and revenue management in Nigeria’s extractive sector.
