General
Experts, Groups Want NDDC Audit Supervised by New Board
Positive reactions from segments of the society have continued to trail President Muhammadu Buhari’s pronouncement on Thursday for a forensic audit to be undertaken on the operations of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
While receiving governors of the states that make up the Commission in Aso Rock, President Buhari said what is presently on the ground in the Niger Delta region does not justify the huge resources that have been made available to the organization.
Mr Femi Adesina, Presidential Spokesman, quoted President Buhari in a statement released from his office as expressing disappointment with the current state of operations at the NDDC vis-à-vis the volume of funds that have been pumped into the interventionist agency.
“I try to follow the Act setting up these institutions especially the NDDC. With the amount of money that the Federal Government has religiously allocated to the NDDC, we will like to see the results on the ground; those that are responsible for that have to explain certain issues.
“The projects said to have been done must be verifiable. You just cannot say you spent so much billions and when the place is visited, one cannot see the structures that have been done. The consultants must also prove that they are competent,” the President said.
It would be recalled that the Presidency had been angered with reports of messy water hyacinth amounting to about N1.9bn purportedly approved and paid to phoney companies by the current interim Management team. The controversial payments which were in clear breach of Presidential directive and violation of extant procurement rules were said to have alarmed top Presidency Officials.
In their swift reaction, experts and stakeholders in the Niger Delta have expressed support for the presidential directive on forensic audit. They however urged President Buhari to quickly put the new Board that he appointed in August in place since they have never been part of the NDDC in the past, to help supervise the audit.
Dr Jeffrey Emerson, a Development Economist in Port Harcourt, who has written extensively on the Niger Delta, while lauding Buhari’s bold move stated that “It’s a very laudable and encouraging move. Stakeholders like us are elated but in carrying out the audit, it has to be supervised by a new Board, the New Board that has never been part of the rot in the past. You don’t expect the acting Managing Director or bureaucrats who have been part of the rot in the past to supervise that audit…The auditing team should work independently with a team and that team, in my view should be the newly named Board. That is the standard practice globally.”
In their own reaction, the President of Ijaw Diaspora Coalition, Elder Johnson Ebibai stated that it was widely reported in the national media that the commission under the current interim management had secretly interviewed and was set to recruit over 300 new staff members without a board approval for such massive recruitment, and it took the intervention and outcry of well-meaning stakeholders in the Niger Delta Region to halt the exercise.
In his view, this, therefore, is not the leadership that should be entrusted with this level of activity to unravel what has happened in the past which involves them.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Association of Plant Operators (NAPO) has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate allegations of tax deduction and non-remittance fraud linked to the NLNG Train 7 project.
Train 7 is a major expansion project of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) facility on Bonny Island, Rivers State, Nigeria. It involves building a seventh “train” (processing unit) at the LNG plant to significantly increase Nigeria’s LNG production capacity and strengthen the country’s role as a global supplier of cleaner energy.
NAPO’s President General, Mr Harold Benstowe, alongside four other officials, appeared at the EFCC Port Harcourt Zonal Office in Port Harcourt, to adopt a petition accusing Daewoo Engineering & Construction Nigeria and others of alleged unlawful tax deductions from workers on the multibillion-dollar NLNG Train 7 gas plant construction project.
According to NAPO, the EFCC received the delegation and guided them through the formal adoption of the petition, paving the way for what the union described as a “proper forensic investigation” into the alleged financial misconduct.
“The EFCC has assured the victims that it will conduct a thorough investigation to get to the root of the matter,” Mr Benstowe said, describing the development as a major step toward accountability in the construction segment of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It also raised that the allegations strike at the heart of compliance risks surrounding one of Nigeria’s most strategic gas investments, with potential implications for contractors, regulators and investor confidence in large-scale energy projects.
Mr Benstowe called on workers involved in the NLNG Train 7 project to actively support the investigation by submitting documentary evidence, particularly payslips allegedly showing tax deductions by Daewoo E&C Nigeria.
“We encourage all affected workers to freely come forward with more evidence to assist the EFCC in carrying out a comprehensive investigation,” he said.
He also dismissed reports of intimidation, warning that the union would resist any attempts to suppress whistleblowers.
“All victims should ignore threats or discouragement from any quarters. This is no longer business as usual. We are prepared for a big showdown to ensure everyone involved is brought to book,” Mr Benstowe declared.
The NAPO leader framed the petition as part of a broader struggle for financial transparency and workers’ rights in Nigeria’s oil and gas construction value chain, stressing that the outcome would send a strong signal to contractors operating on high-value energy projects.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has unveiled its institutional brand identity as it officially transition from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to the newly established revenue collection agency as gazetted.
The transition was marked with the unveiling of the agency’s new logo, according to a statement from Mr Dare Adekanmbi, special adviser to the chairman of NRS, Mr Zacch Adedeji.
Speaking at the unveiling event in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr Adedeji said the new identity represents a significant milestone in the evolution of Nigeria’s revenue administration framework.
The taxman said the unveiling reflects a renewed commitment to a more unified, efficient, and service-oriented revenue system aligned with Nigeria’s economic transformation agenda and global best practices.
He said the new identity signals continuity of purpose, strengthened institutional capacity, and a forward-looking approach to supporting taxpayers and national development.
According to the statement, the NRS said it remains committed to transparency, partnership, and service excellence.
“The unveiling of this new identity represents not an end, but the beginning of a strengthened relationship between the revenue authority and the Nigerian public—built on trust, clarity, and shared prosperity,” the statement reads.
It was also stated that the service came into operation following the signing of its enabling law — the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025 — by President Bola Tinubu in June.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government says it has taken a decisive step to unlock Ondo State’s maritime and industrial potential with the revalidation of the Ondo Deep Sea Port licence, signalling fresh momentum for trade, jobs, and investment in the South-West state.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, formally presented the revalidated certificate to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State at his office in Abuja, noting that the revalidation served as a major milestone and a strategic federal intervention to harness the state’s vast blue economy resources.
He said the deep sea port would serve as a catalyst for trade expansion, industrialisation and regional economic integration, in line with the Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda.
“The Ondo Deep Sea Port is not just a project for Ondo State; it is a national asset that will boost Nigeria’s competitiveness in global shipping, ease congestion at existing ports and create a new hub for exports, manufacturing and job creation,” Mr Oyetola said.
He added that the port’s Atlantic corridor location would enhance non-oil exports, improve the ease of doing business and attract foreign direct investment to the South-West and the wider economy.
According to him, the revalidated licence provides clarity and confidence for investors, reinforcing Nigeria’s readiness for large-scale maritime investments.
Receiving the certificate, Mr Aiyedatiwa thanked President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approving the revalidation, describing it as the outcome of years of sustained effort.
He explained that the original licence had faced delays due to a naming error in the initial business case, necessitating a fresh and comprehensive submission.
“This revalidated certificate is a turning point for Ondo State, affirming our vision for industrial growth, job creation and sustainable development anchored on our coastline and maritime assets,” the governor said.
Mr Aiyedatiwa said his administration was prioritising supporting infrastructure, including the dualisation of access roads to industrial zones and modernisation projects.
He added that plans were also underway for residential, educational and hospitality facilities to support the anticipated influx of investors and workers.
The governor reaffirmed that the port and its ancillary projects would drive inclusive development across all local government areas of the state.
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