The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered more than N115 billion in outstanding statutory levies owed to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by oil companies operating in the Niger Delta.
The disclosure was made by an EFCC representative, Francis Oka-Phillips Usani, when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts investigating findings contained in the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) 2021–2023 Oil and Gas Sector Audit Report.
Usani said the liabilities identified comprised N76.883 billion and $81.076 million in outstanding three per cent statutory levies owed to the NDDC by oil companies operating in the Niger Delta.
According to him, the EFCC investigated 43 oil companies following the findings, with 24 found to have outstanding liabilities, while the remaining 19 were cleared.
He said some of the affected companies paid their outstanding liabilities directly to the NDDC following the investigation and pressure mounted by the EFCC.
Such direct payments, he said, amounted to N6.709 billion and $16.994 million.
Usani further disclosed that N73.373 billion and $67.070 million recovered by the EFCC on behalf of the NDDC had been released to the commission, while N3.510 billion and $14.005 million remained in the EFCC’s recovery account.
He said the investigation focused primarily on unpaid three per cent statutory levies due to the NDDC, as identified in the NEITI audit report.
The EFCC representative, however, said the investigation did not rule out the existence of other unpaid statutory obligations and taxes owed to the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, the Senate committee rejected an attempt by TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited to respond to queries raised against the company in the audit report, citing inadequate representation at the hearing.
The committee consequently directed the Managing Director of TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited to appear personally before it next week.
It also gave the managing directors of South Atlantic Petroleum Limited, Oando Oil Limited, Famfa Oil Limited and Green Energy International Limited a final opportunity to appear physically before the panel.
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, said the investigation would continue on Thursday.
The Senate’s ongoing probe is focused on the findings and recommendations contained in the NEITI 2021–2023 Oil and Gas Sector Audit Report, particularly issues relating to outstanding statutory payments and other financial obligations in the extractive sector.
