The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered over 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 official, Francis Oka-Phillips Usani, when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts investigating findings in the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) 2021-2023 Oil and Gas Sector Audit Report.
The identified liabilities included outstanding three per cent statutory levies owed to the NDDC by oil companies operating in the Niger Delta, amounting to N76.883 billion and $81.076 million, Usani said.
He said the EFCC investigated 43 oil companies based on the findings, out of which 24 were 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 after the investigation and pressure mounted by the EFCC.
He said the direct payments totaled N6.709 billion and $16.994 million.
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Usani also said EFCC had released N73.373 billion and $67.070 million recovered on behalf of the NDDC to the commission, while N3.510 billion and $14.005 million were still with the EFCC recovery account.
He said the investigation was mainly on the three per cent statutory levies payable to the NDDC which were not paid, as revealed in the NEITI audit report.
However, the EFCC representative said the investigation did not rule out the existence of other unpaid statutory obligations and taxes owed the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, the Senate committee rejected a request by TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited to respond to questions raised against the company in the audit report, citing poor representation at the hearing.
The committee therefore summoned the Managing Director of TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited to appear before it in person next week.
It also provided a last opportunity for the managing directors of South Atlantic Petroleum Limited, Oando Oil Limited, Famfa Oil Limited and Green Energy International Limited to appear before the panel physically.
The investigation will continue on Thursday, the committee chairman, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo said.
The Senate’s ongoing investigation is focused on the findings and recommendations contained in the NEITI 2021–2023 Oil and Gas Sector Audit Report, particularly the issues relating to the non-payment of statutory dues and other financial obligations in the extractive industry.
