The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the performance and benefits accruing to the Nigerian Government from all concessionaire-operated ports, including air and sea terminals, has raised concerns over poor coordination by government agencies.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Kolawole Davidson Akinlayo said at a press briefing in Abuja that the panel has faced difficulties in obtaining necessary information from several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Mr. Akinlayo said that “more than a month into the assignment, the committee has struggled to compel relevant MDAs to appear and provide the data required to complete its work within the stipulated timeframe, although some stakeholders have been cooperative.’
The committee is examining shipping activities from 2006 to 2025 to assess the benefits and performance of government-concessioned ports.
Mr. Akinlayo said; “The Committee was inaugurated on February 3, 2026, by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas. Its mandate includes examining the terms and conditions of concession agreements entered into from 2006 to 2025; assessing revenue flows, remittances, and other financial benefits accruing to the Nigerian Government and its agencies; reviewing compliance with contractual, regulatory, and safety obligations by concessionaires; appraising infrastructural development, operational efficiency, service quality, and labour issues; identifying challenges, gaps, and systemic weaknesses within the concession framework; and formulating clear, practicable recommendations to improve policy, legislation, and future concession arrangements.
Speaking on the purpose of the Committee, the Chairman said, “This Committee was constituted in response to growing national concern over the management, performance, transparency, and value outcomes of concession arrangements governing some of Nigeria’s most strategic public assets. These assets; our seaports, airports, terminals, and jetties, are not ordinary commercial facilities. They are sovereign economic gateways, national security infrastructure, and critical enablers of trade, mobility, and development.”
He said, “Since the exercise began, members of this Committee have approached this mandate with the highest sense of duty, responsibility, professionalism, and commitment to the national interest. We have been transparent and democratic in the exercise of our powers and have refrained from high-handedness.”
Mr. Akinlayo also said that the briefing is to restate the commitment of the Committee to fulfilling its mandate as assigned by the House and to warn heads of MDAs and their management not to constitute a clog in the wheel of this Committee in carrying out this assignment.
“Many of the important agencies have on several occasions deliberately refused to honour the invitation of the Committee for no just cause. In fact, some of the agencies that have so far appeared before the Committee could not submit the required documents. For example, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) had appeared before us but disappointedly failed to comply fully with our requests,” he said.
Mr. Akinlayo said that in the light of the foregoing, the committee wishes to give the last warning to the Chief Executive officers and heads of the following agencies to change their attitude towards the committee or have themselves to blame.
“They include the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), NIMASA, NLNG, INTELS and Julius Berger Plc,” he said.
The lawmaker also explained that henceforth, the Committee would no longer tolerate contempt of the parliament and has resolved to invoke the statutory constitutional provisions to compel any erring CEO/head to appear before it.
“You are aware that Section 89 and 129 of the 1999 Constitution (As amended) have provided a list of guidelines and powers that are to assist the legislature in carrying out its oversight functions. These include issuing summons, warrants and fines when its orders, as approved by the Constitution, are violated. In more drastic instances, the legislature has the constitutional power to recommend the removal of office holders, where it is believed that the office holder(s) is not effectively discharging his constitutional or statutory duties.
“I wish to state without mincing words that this Committee will not hesitate to subpoena any disrespectful and uncooperative CEO/head of MDAs; we will not develop cold feet in directing the Inspector General of Police to arrest any CEO or head of MDAs that fails to honour our invitation. Anyone who is out to sabotage our work will no longer be given the oxygen to undermine the legislature. We shall invoke the necessary constitutional provisions to compel compliance with the directives of the Committee,” he warned.
Mr. Akinlayo stressed that the committee is not witch-hunting anybody or organisation but the mandate given to it by the House must be accomplished and in doing so, it will not spare any CEO or officer or individual or group that have resolved to treat the parliament with contempt.
“Like I have always said, Nigerians deserve to know whether these concessions have delivered value for money, complied with contractual obligations, enhanced national competitiveness, protected public assets, and contributed meaningfully to economic growth, employment, and revenue generation. And the only way we can get these answers is to judiciously engage with all the stakeholders.
“Therefore, on behalf of the Ad hoc Committee and indeed the leadership of the House of Representatives, I hereby appealed to the aforementioned organisations and agencies to kindly comply with the letters of invitations extended to them. We shall not entertain any frivolous excuses because this assignment must be timeously executed,” he added.