The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered over N115 billion and $84 million in unpaid statutory levies owed to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as the Senate intensified its probe into revenue leakages in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

The revelation emerged on Wednesday during an investigative hearing by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, which is examining findings contained in the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Oil and Gas Sector Audit Report covering 2021 to 2023.

Appearing before the committee, EFCC representative, Francis Oka-Phillips Usani, disclosed that the anti-graft agency launched investigations into 43 oil companies flagged in the NEITI report over alleged non-remittance of statutory obligations.

According to him, the probe uncovered outstanding liabilities among 24 oil firms operating in the Niger Delta, amounting to N76.88 billion and $81.08 million in unpaid three per cent statutory levies due to the NDDC. He noted that the remaining 19 companies investigated were found to have met their obligations.

Usani told lawmakers that the EFCC’s intervention compelled several indebted companies to settle part of their obligations directly with the NDDC, resulting in payments totaling N6.71 billion and $16.99 million.

He further explained that recoveries made by the commission on behalf of the NDDC had significantly boosted the agency’s finances, with N73.37 billion and $67.07 million already remitted to the development commission.

According to him, N3.51 billion and $14.01 million remain in the EFCC’s recovery account pending further administrative processes.

The disclosure marks one of the most significant recoveries linked to statutory obligations in the extractive sector and highlights growing efforts by federal authorities to ensure oil companies comply with financial commitments meant to support development projects in the Niger Delta.

Providing insight into the scope of the investigation, Usani said the commission concentrated primarily on the unpaid three per cent levy identified in the NEITI audit but remained alert to the possibility of other outstanding taxes and statutory payments owed to the Federal Government.

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“Our focus was on the unpaid three per cent statutory levy due to the NDDC as identified in the NEITI report, but we also recognised that some companies may have other unresolved obligations to government,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Senate committee adopted a tougher stance against companies implicated in the audit findings.

Lawmakers rejected an attempt by TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited to respond to issues raised in the report through representatives, insisting that the company’s Managing Director must personally appear before the panel.

The committee subsequently directed the company’s chief executive to attend the next hearing scheduled for next week.

In a similar move, the panel issued what it described as a final invitation to the Managing Directors of South Atlantic Petroleum Limited, Oando Oil Limited, Famfa Oil Limited and Green Energy International Limited, ordering them to personally appear and answer questions arising from the audit report.

The committee maintained that chief executives of companies linked to the alleged non-remittance and under-remittance of statutory payments must account for their organisations’ actions directly rather than delegate the responsibility to subordinate officials.

The Senate investigation is expected to establish the level of compliance by oil companies with statutory obligations owed to the NDDC and other government agencies, while also identifying the scale of revenue leakages within the oil and gas industry.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, said the investigative hearing would continue on Thursday as lawmakers deepen scrutiny of the audit report and seek further explanations from affected firms and relevant government institutions.