EFCC Announces Recovery of N115bn Outstanding Levies from NDDC, Oil Firms

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered over N115 billion in outstanding statutory levies owed the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by oil companies operating in the Niger Delta.

This was disclosed 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.

Usani said the identified liabilities included 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.

Based on the findings, he said, the EFCC investigated 43 oil companies, 24 of which were found to have outstanding liabilities while the other 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.

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He said such direct payments amounted to N6.709 billion and $16.994 million.

Usani also said that N73.373 billion and $67.070 million recovered by the EFCC for the NDDC had been released to the commission, while N3.510 billion and $14.005 million were still in the EFCC’s recovery account.

He said the investigation was primarily focused on unpaid three per cent statutory levies owed to the NDDC, as identified in the NEITI audit report.

But the EFCC representative said the investigation did not rule out the existence of other unpaid statutory obligations and taxes owed to the Federal Government.

At the same time, the Senate committee declined a request by TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited to answer questions leveled against the company in the audit report, because of inadequate representation at the hearing.

The committee therefore invited the Managing Director of TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited to appear before it in person next week.

It also gave a final opportunity to the managing directors of South Atlantic Petroleum Limited, Oando Oil Limited, Famfa Oil Limited and Green Energy International Limited to physically appear before the panel.

The committee chairman, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, said the investigation would continue on Thursday.

The Senate’s ongoing investigation is centered on the conclusions and recommendations contained in the NEITI 2021–2023 Oil and Gas Sector Audit Report, especially the issues surrounding the non-payment of statutory dues and other financial commitments in the extractive industry.