Business
NNPC Can’t Account For 107m Barrels Of Crude – Auditor-General
The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation says the defunct Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, now Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, has failed to account for about 107,239,436 barrels of crude oil lifted for domestic consumption in 2019.
Making the allegation in its 2019 audit report presently being considered by the Committees on Public Accounts at the Senate and House of Representatives, NNPC said about 22,929.84 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, valued at N7.06billion and pumped to the two depots (Ibadan-Ilorin and Aba-Enugu) between June and July 2019 were not received by the depots.
These are part of the issues raised by the office in the six audit queries issued against the NNPC.
The report noted discrepancies between the amount reported by the NNPC as transfer to the Federations Account and what was reported by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
While the NNPC records showed that N1,272,606,864,000 was transferred by the corporation, the Accountant-General of the Federation said it was N608,710,292,773.44, leaving a gap of N663,896,567,227.58.
Consequently, the auditor-general said the Group Managing Director of the NNPC should be asked to explain the discrepancy between the two figures and remit the balanceof N663,896,567,227.58 to the Federations Account or face sanction.
According to the report, NNPC transferred the sum of N519,922,433,918.46 to the Federation Account based on transfer mandates.
The Auditor-General, therefore, demanded that the NNPC provides “reconciliation statement for the difference of N88,787,862,853.96 between AGF’s figure of N608,710,296,772.42 and NNPC’s figure per transfer mandate of N519,922,433,918.46.”
The office alleged possible diversion of domestic crude, diversion of sale of un-utilised crude as well as loss of Federation Account revenue, saying the management of the NNPC failed to respond to the audit query.
The report said, “The Group Managing Director of NNPC is requested to provide the complete schedule of allocation of Crude Oil to Refineries from 1st January to 31st December, 2019, furnish details of the sale of un-utilized crude oil and reconcile it with total domestic crude oil of 107,239,436.00 bbls lifted in 2019 and remit amount realised from sale of un-utilized crude oil to the Federation Account.”
Citing Section 162(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the Auditor-General said the NNPC spent $6.410m (N1.955tn at N305/$1) to fund Joint Venture Cash Calls and other federally-funded upstream projects such as gas infrastructure development, Brass LNG, crude oil pre-export inspection agency expenses, frontier exploration services, EGTL operating expenses and NESS fee; and another N55.157bn on pipeline security and maintenance without first paying the money into the Federations Account.
The OAuGF said the GMD of NNPC should justify non-adherence to the transfer of all federation revenue to the Federation Account as provided by the Constitution and ensure that all revenue is paid into the federation account, going forward.
The report further read, “The audit examination on ‘Schedule of Inflow of Revenue’ by NNPC to Federation Account obtained from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation revealed that the Domestic Gas Receipts of N4.572 billion was transferred to Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT)-Gas in the month of January 2019, and was not made in the subsequent months of the year.
“This transfer reduced the amount due to Federation Account for the month of January, 2019 to the tune of N4.572 billion leading to possible reduction of distributable revenue in the Federation account, misapplication of funds and diversion of revenue.”
The office alleged that about 22,929.84 litres of PMS valued N7,056,137,180.00 pumped to two depots in the country in 2019 were not received by the depots, while no reason was advanced by the NNPC for the non-receipt of the product, demanding that the value of the products be remitted to the Federation Account.
239,800 bbls of crude oil valued at N5.498bn was received in Warri and Kaduna refineries, respectively, between January and December 2019, with the source of the crude not validated due to the absence of source documents, while money was allegedly classified as crude oil losses without duly completed form 146 to be processed for further investigation.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said 33 banks have met new minimum capital requirements under its recapitalisation programme, raising a combined N4.65 trillion to strengthen the financial system.
The apex bank disclosed this in a statement marking the end of the exercise, which commenced in March 2024 and drew participation from domestic and foreign investors.
The statement was jointly signed by the Director of Banking Supervision, Olubukola Akinwunmi, and the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
The statement said “Over the 24-month period, Nigerian banks raised a total of N4.65tn in new capital, strengthening the resilience of the financial system and enhancing its capacity to support the economy.”
The regulator said local investors accounted for 72.55 per cent of the funds, while international investors contributed 27.45 per cent, reflecting continued confidence in the sector.
Commenting on the outcome, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said in the statement, “The recapitalisation programme has strengthened the capital base of Nigerian banks, reinforcing the resilience of the financial system and ensuring it is well-positioned to support economic growth and withstand domestic and external shocks.”
It added that while 33 banks have complied with the new thresholds, a few others are still undergoing regulatory and legal processes.
The statement noted, “The CBN confirms that 33 banks have met the revised minimum capital requirements established under the programme.
“A limited number of institutions remain subject to ongoing regulatory and judicial processes, which are being addressed through established supervisory and legal frameworks.
“All banks remain fully operational, ensuring continued access to banking services for customers.”
The apex bank stressed that the exercise was executed without disrupting banking operations, ensuring uninterrupted access to services nationwide.
It further stated that key prudential indicators have improved, particularly capital adequacy ratios, which remain above global Basel benchmarks.
The minimum ratios were set at 10 per cent for regional and national banks and 15 per cent for banks with international licences.
The bank also said the recapitalisation coincided with a gradual exit from regulatory forbearance, a move it said improved asset quality, strengthened balance sheet transparency, and enhanced overall stability.
To preserve these gains, the CBN said it has reinforced its risk-based supervision framework, mandating periodic stress tests and adequate capital buffers for banks.
It added that supervisory and prudential guidelines would be reviewed regularly to strengthen governance, risk management, and resilience across the sector.
“The successful completion of the programme establishes a stronger and more resilient banking system, better positioned to support lending, mobilise savings, and withstand domestic and global shocks,” the statement said.
The Tide learnt that foreign capital inflows into Nigeria’s banking sector rose by 93.25 per cent year-on-year to $13.53bn in 2025, up from $7.00bn recorded in 2024, amid the ongoing recapitalisation drive by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics capital importation report showed that the banking sector remained the dominant destination for foreign capital, accounting for $13.53bn of the total $23.22bn recorded in 2025, representing 58.26 per cent of total inflows, up from 56.81 per cent in 2024.
The surge reflects heightened investor interest in Nigerian banks as they raised fresh capital to meet new regulatory thresholds introduced by the apex bank, with industry-wide recapitalisation activities driving large-scale inflows across all quarters of the year.
However, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) recently raised concerns over weak credit flows to small businesses despite recent banking sector reforms.
The CPPE, led by a renowned economist, Dr Muda Yusuf, acknowledged that the ongoing bank recapitalisation exercise by the CBN has strengthened the financial system, but warned that the benefits have yet to translate into meaningful support for the real economy.
The facility will be disbursed through participating Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which will in turn extend the loans to their customers, particularly SMEs, as they directly interface with businesses at the grassroots level.
The Executive Director of COMCIN, Mr. Micheal Ogbaa who represented the Chairman, Dr. Iredele Oyedele (FCA, FCCA), said the initiative is designed to strengthen micro-lending institutions and expand access to finance for grassroots entrepreneurs, particularly women and youths in the informal sector.
Ogbaa explained that COMCIN does not lend directly to individuals but works through its network of microfinance and cooperative institutions, which in turn provide loans to end users.
“We came together to advocate for the microfinance ecosystem. Commercial banks often exclude people at the grassroots, but our members are positioned to reach them. This facility will empower them to do more,” he said.
He noted that the loan scheme offers low interest rates and flexible repayment plans, making it more accessible to small business owners.
According to him, about 90 percent of beneficiaries are expected to be women, who play a key role in sustaining families and driving economic activities at the local level.
“Our focus is on traders, service providers, and players in the informal sector. These are the real movers of the economy. By supporting them, we are strengthening families and contributing to national development,” he added.
Ogbaa disclosed that eligible SMEs with proven integrity and business track records could access up to N5 million each through participating micro-lending institutions. The rollout has commenced in Lagos and will extend to Abuja, Enugu, and other regions, including the South-West, South-East, and North-East.
He said 12 micro-lending institutions have already benefited from the scheme, while 85 applications are currently being processed under the pilot phase.
“Our target is to reach at least 100,000 SMEs nationwide. We are building a platform that connects funding partners with credible micro-lending institutions, creating a reliable channel for financial inclusion,” Ogbaa said.
He added that COMCIN is also working to attract larger funding pools from development finance institutions and private investors, noting that successful implementation of the pilot phase would boost confidence and unlock more capital for SMEs.
“We have seen encouraging testimonies from early beneficiaries. As we demonstrate transparency and efficiency, more institutions will be willing to channel funds through us,” he said.
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