Senate Committee Issues Ultimatum to Nigerian Agencies Over Audit Absences

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts issued a 72-hour ultimatum to several government agencies after they failed to attend a public hearing on August 3, 2026. The agencies, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Niger Delta Development Commission, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), were summoned to address unresolved audit queries and examine NEITI oil and gas industry audit reports for 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Committee Chairman Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo expressed disappointment that guests failed to arrive despite notifications and public notices in three national newspapers. He rescheduled the appearance for Thursday, August 6, 2026, warning that further non-compliance would trigger sanctions under the 1999 Constitution and Senate Standing Orders.

Other committee members condemned the boycott as a sign of disrespect toward the National Assembly. Senator Babangida Hussaini stated that the institutional integrity of the Senate was being undermined, while Senator Patrick Ndubueze argued that the agencies did not deserve a second chance. Despite the absences, the three-week oversight exercise will continue with testimonies from the National Security Adviser and other regulatory bodies.