The House of Representatives has launched a probe into ₦432.07 billion in unpaid debts owed to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and oil marketing firms. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by Rep. Bamidele Salam, announced the investigation on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
NMDPRA was established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to regulate Nigeria's midstream and downstream petroleum operations, including the licensing, pricing oversight and levy collection that generated the disputed debts.
The probe follows findings in the Auditor-General's 2023 and 2024 annual audit reports, which flagged unresolved obligations owed to NMDPRA. According to the 2023 report, NNPCL and oil companies operating under three marketer associations, namely the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), the Major Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), owed NMDPRA a combined ₦392.73 billion. NNPCL's share stood at ₦162.46 billion, while the marketing firms accounted for the remaining ₦230.27 billion.
The debts arose from four main obligations: the Balancing Allowance, the National Transport Average, a one per cent levy under the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, and legacy sums linked to import, coastal and credit transactions.
By the time the 2024 audit was completed, the debt attributed to the oil marketing firms alone had risen to ₦432.07 billion, with NNPCL's portion tracked separately in that report. Data submitted by NMDPRA to the committee also showed that 146 companies operating under DAPPMAN, MEMAN and MOMAN owed a combined ₦327.53 billion as at 2025. The committee noted that much of the indebtedness spans the period from 2017 to 2023 and has remained largely unpaid.
Salam said the committee's objective was not to target any company but to verify the figures, protect public revenue and ensure that every sum owed to government was properly accounted for. He said the investigation would examine how the liabilities arose, what payments have been made, what remains outstanding, and what steps regulators have taken to recover the debts.
"Any company invited by this committee must respect the people's Parliament of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by honouring the summons with appropriate representation and all relevant documents," Salam said.