The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into billions of naira in unpaid regulatory obligations owed to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and several oil companies.
The House Public Accounts Committee is examining liabilities put at ₦432.07bn, following findings contained in reports by the Auditor-General of the Federation.
According to the audit records, the combined debt stood at ₦392.73bn in the 2023 report. NNPCL was responsible for ₦162.46bn, while companies operating under industry groups including the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, Major Marketers Association of Nigeria and Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria accounted for ₦230.27bn.
The outstanding amounts relate to various petroleum-sector obligations, including Balancing Allowance, National Transport Average and contributions to the one per cent Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund. Some liabilities also arose from previous importation, coastal and credit transactions.
The Auditor-General’s 2024 report later put the outstanding liabilities at ₦432.07bn, although the figure excluded obligations attributed to NNPCL. Separately, information submitted by the NMDPRA indicated that 146 companies under DAPPMAN, MEMAN and MOMAN owed the regulator ₦327.53bn as of 2025.
The lawmakers are particularly concerned that some of the debts have remained unresolved for several years, with records showing that certain obligations date back to 2017. The committee will therefore examine how the liabilities were calculated, payments already made, balances still outstanding and the steps taken by the regulator to recover the money.
Chairman of the committee, Bamidele Salam, said the investigation is intended to establish the facts and ensure that revenue owed to the government is properly accounted for and recovered.
He directed companies and institutions summoned by the committee to appear with the necessary representatives and relevant financial records, stressing that the exercise was not designed to target any particular organisation.
The probe will also consider why the liabilities accumulated over time and whether adequate enforcement measures were taken against companies that failed to meet their obligations.
The investigation comes as government revenue collection in the petroleum industry faces increased scrutiny following the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, which introduced major changes to the sector’s regulatory framework.
The committee said the inquiry forms part of the National Assembly’s oversight responsibilities and will require both the affected companies and the NMDPRA to provide documentation showing how the debts arose, what has been recovered and what remains unpaid.
