By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Senate Public Accounts Committee has given Seplat Energy and three other oil companies 48 hours to appear before it and respond to queries contained in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 audit reports of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, issued the ultimatum on Tuesday, 11 August, 2026, after expressing concern over the companies’ repeated failure to honour its invitations, warning that they could face the full weight of the National Assembly’s legislative powers should they fail to appear within the stipulated period.
The affected companies are Network E&P Nigeria Limited, All Grace Energy Limited, Aradel Energy Limited and Seplat Energy.
The issue came to a head after Senator Abdul Ningi called for sanctions against the companies, describing a letter from Network E&P Nigeria Limited to the committee as disturbing and provocative, noting that the company had reportedly told the committee it was accountable to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) rather than the Senate panel.
Ningi, however, maintained that the National Assembly had the constitutional authority to summon individuals, companies and government agencies to provide explanations on matters under investigation, citing Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution as empowering the National Assembly to invite anybody or agency for explanations on issues raised against them.
Backing the call for sanctions, Senator Shehu Kaka Lawan, representing Borno Central, urged the committee to exercise its constitutional powers against the companies that failed to respond to its invitations.
The chairman subsequently directed the Managing Director of Network E&P Nigeria Limited to appear before the committee within 48 hours, warning that having failed to honour the committee’s invitation on two consecutive occasions, the managing director should appear unfailingly on Thursday or risk full invocation of legislative powers against him.
Similar ultimatums were issued to the Managing Directors of All Grace Energy Limited, Aradel Energy Limited and Seplat Energy after the committee noted their absence during the proceedings.
The committee’s action forms part of its consideration of queries contained in NEITI’s audit reports, which examine the management of Nigeria’s oil and gas revenues and compliance with financial obligations by companies operating in the extractive sector.
Meanwhile, Dubri Oil Company Limited appeared before the committee and rejected a 3.025 million dollar royalty and gas flare debt attributed to it in the NEITI report.
According to the report, the NUPRC submitted in 2025 that Dubri Oil was indebted to the Federal Government to the tune of 3.025 million dollars, comprising 2.378 million dollars allegedly owed as gas flare debt and 646,605.55 dollars in oil production-related debt.
However, the company’s representative, Soyode Clement, faulted the query, explaining that it arose from a reconciliation issue between the company and the NUPRC at the time the report was compiled, and disclosed that the reconciliation issue had since been resolved, with no outstanding debt owed by the company.
Clement presented documents to the committee in support of the company’s position, while the committee said it would critically examine the documents before determining whether to clear Dubri Oil of the liability contained in the NEITI report.
The proceedings form part of the Senate’s ongoing scrutiny of audit queries arising from the oil and gas sector, amid concerns over revenue leakages and the failure of companies and agencies to adequately account for payments due to the government.
