By Adedapo Adesanya

The Senate, through its Committee on Public Accounts, has given the management of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC)  Limited an April 29 deadline to appear before it to account for the N210 trillion flagged in audit reports from 2017 to 2023.

The committee directed the chief executive of the state oil company, Mr Bayo Ojulari, to appear alongside his predecessor, Mr Mele Kyari, on the scheduled date unfailingly.

Also expected to appear are former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the firm, Mr Umar Ajia; Mr Bala Wunti and the external auditors of the national oil company.

The committee’s resolutions followed a motion moved by the senator of Imo West, Mr Osita Izunaso, and seconded by Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the senator representing Edo North.

Chairman of the committee, Mr Aliyu Wadada, said that the N210 trillion in question, as contained in the audit reports, must be fully accounted for by the company’s management.

Mr Wadada said that the explanations provided by NNPCL to the 19 audit queries were unsatisfactory, noting that Nigerians deserved clear, detailed and convincing responses.

“This committee, and by extension, the Senate, is not satisfied with the blanket explanation given by NNPCL on N103 trillion, which it claimed represents liabilities.

“Liabilities have components such as retention fees, legal fees and audit fees. Specific amounts spent on each of these components must be clearly stated and explained.

“Detailed explanations are also required for the N107 trillion, which NNPCL said was expended on joint venture cash calls as well as funds allegedly owed by some defunct banks whose identities were not disclosed.

“Consequently, it is resolved that NNPCL is given an additional two weeks to appear before this committee unfailingly.

“The deadline for compliance is Wednesday, April 29,” Mr Wadada said.

A member of the committee, Mr Abdul Ningi, had called for the invocation of the National Assembly’s powers to compel the appearance of NNPC officials, citing repeated failures to honour invitations.

“We must treat this matter with utmost seriousness. The strength of democracy rests significantly on the authority of the legislature.“Unfortunately, there appears to be a growing reluctance to honour invitations from the National Assembly, leaving members feeling helpless in enforcing compliance,” he said.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A partnership framework agreement designed to drive sustainable innovation and economic development for large enterprises, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector in Nigeria has been signed by the Bank of Industry (BoI) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

Both parties put pen to paper on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, positioning them to mutually ensure that capacity building efforts for businesses focuses on strengthening the technical and institutional capabilities of BoI’s Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs), equipping them to deliver higher-impact advisory services to the bank’s customers; as well as enshrine a structured vocational training provided under the ICSS (Inspire, Create, Start and Scale) entrepreneurship programme to enhance productivity, workforce quality and overall business competitiveness to MSMEs.

Through this deal, there will be coordinated interventions across key strategic pillars, including access to finance, entrepreneurship development, capacity building, and market access; and integrates focused support for climate finance and renewable energy investments; and a robust alignment with global sustainability priorities that enables MSMEs to be engines of economic development.

“This partnership is about closing the gap between enterprise potential and enterprise reality. Too many Nigerian businesses, particularly MSMEs, have the ideas, the drive, and the market opportunity, but lack the financing, technical capacity, or market access needed to scale,” the chief executive of BoI, Mr Olasupo Olusi, said.

“This partnership reflects our unwavering commitment to constantly form new partnerships to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nigeria.

“By combining our financing expertise with our partner’s international development experience, we are building a comprehensive framework that will directly translate into jobs, innovation, affordable, long-term financing and sustainable growth for MSMEs in Nigeria,” he added.

In his remarks, the Country Director for GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Magnus Wagner, said, “This partnership demonstrates our joint commitments to strengthening Nigeria’s private sector and to advancing sustainable and inclusive economic growth.  Through this partnership, we aim to support small and medium enterprises.

“We are trying more to look at SME, formalised business, which is the resilient backbone of Nigeria’s economy. So, we would like to work, we have decided in areas such as climate and sustainable finance, renewable energy and energy efficiency, entrepreneurship and innovation, women’s economic empowerment, agribusiness and rural transformation, and digital trade and market access.

“We look forward to a close and successful collaboration with the Bank of Industry, one that delivers tangible results for business, communities, and the country and the population as a whole.”

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday re-arraigned former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) and his son, Abdulaziz, before a Federal High Court in Abuja on an amended charge bordering on alleged terrorism and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

The counsel to the DSS, Mr Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), told the court that an amended charge has been filed to replace an earlier one on which they had been arraigned.

Mr Kehinde applied to withdraw the earlier charge and requested that the amended one be read to the defendant for the pleas to be taken afresh.

The counsel to the defendants, Mr Shaibu Aruwa (SAN), confirmed that his clients were served with the amended charge and agreed that the fresh charge be read to the defendants.

Mr Malami and his son are alleged to have, in December 2025, prepared to commit acts of terrorism by having in their possession and without a license, a Sturm Magnum 17 – 0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of cartridges and 27 expended Redstar.

However, Mr Malami and his son both pleaded not guilty, following which the prosecution sought a date for the commencement of the trial.

Mr Aruwa did not object to a date for trial, but prayed the court to allow the defendants to remain on the bail earlier granted them by the court, on the conditions they had met.

With Mr Kehinde not opposing Mr Aruwa’s oral application, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the defendants should continue on the bail earlier granted them on February 27, which conditions they had met.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned till May 26 and June 15 for trial.

Counts in the amended charge read:

“That you Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did engage in preparation to commit acts of terrorism by having in your possession and without license, a Sturm Magnum 17 – 0101 firearm, Sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of Cartridges and Twenty-Seven (27) expended Redstar and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 29 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you, Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves in preparation to commit acts of terrorism by having in your possession and without a license a Sturm Magnum 17 – 0101 firearm, Sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of Cartridges and Twenty-Seven (27) expended Redstar, contrary to Section 26 (1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition Act) 2022 and punishable under Section 26 (3) (a) and (b) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition Act) 2022.

“That you, Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without a license, did have in your possession a Sturm Magnum 17 – 0101 firearm and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) (a) (i) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“That you, Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without a license, did have in your possession Sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of Cartridges and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (1) (b) (ii) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) (a) (i) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“That you, Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, Adult, Male, sometime in December, 2025, at Geeze Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without a license, did have in your possession Twenty-Seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of Cartridges and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (1) (b) (ii) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) (a) (i) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”