Legislature
Senate admits, its on same page with FG over N48b oil theft surveillance contract
***Confirms $2b has been lost to oil theft since January
The Senate has indicated that it is on same page with the federal government over N48b Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s oil pipeline surveillance contract to apprehend oil thieves as it insisted there are both formal and informal approaches to solving the oil theft issue
The Federal Government had awarded multi-billion naira Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s oil pipeline surveillance contract to a former militant leader in the Niger Delta and ex-commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo amidst opposition
The N4bn per month contract, which covers the Ijaw-speaking part of Bayelsa State (Southern Ijaw and Ekeremor local government areas), Delta, Ondo, Imo and Rivers states, had attracted a groundswell of opposition from some stakeholders in Bayelsa, Ondo, Imo and Rivers states.
However the chairman Senate ad-hoc Committee that investigated oil lifting, theft and the impact on petroleum production and oil revenues, Senator Albert Bassey Akpan while addressing newen on the report of his committee which he presenred at plenary said the effort of the Government in tackling oil theft was yielding positive results
When asked while he was silent on the involvement of none state actors in addressing the oil theft he said they were in agreement with the action of Government.
He said, If that contract was contracted duly and procured we don’t have any issue with it and if they yield desired outcomes I don’t think there is anything wrong
“We must commend NNPC because as we speak FOCADOS Terminal had been restored 500 000 barrels to our national production and just the day before yesterday the first 87000 barrels per day was received at the Bonny terminals so things are getting better.
“This means that the abridged interventions done recently by government is yielding results if not all the 500 000 barrels would have been stolen and you know the effect in terms of employment.
The committee chairman who could not identify any oil thief in its report said
“I think what is most important is that we must accept collective responsibility for what have befallen this country`s oil and gas industry because the oil theft did not start today, it started since 2004 as in the captured by the report and I believe a stich in time would have saved nine
“Taking the Saudi Arabia example, the country understand and know exactly how much volume is produced and in that country oil pipelines are just on the streets and nobody is tampering with them because the pipelines are in line with the current technology.
“When we we flew the region we could not see the right of way of these pipelines and when you cannot see the right of way how can you ensure effective surveillance
“I must also let you know that these pipelines were installed in the 40s and the 60s so I must tell you that one of the key things that we must embark upon is the replacement of all the pipelines because they have out lived their lifespan we are managing
He said the oil theft has also impacted negatively on the host communities benefits.
“The coming of the PIA had envisaged that all the issues about the host communities benefits and all that would have be addressed but when you see the huge theft and the volume involved it kills the real essence of what the host community trust fund was meant to achieve.
“Based on record the country has lost over $2b since January, how much is our deficit of the country. If we lost $2b that is almost N1.3tr that would have taken care of our fiscal deficit and enhanced the implementation of the capital budget.
“We can not allow criminals to bring the country to its knees. I believe the committee has done an extensive work
Meanwhile, the ad hoc committee, after the investigation, failed to disclosed those behind crude oil theft but instead said all stakeholders must accept collective responsibility for what have befallen the country’s oil and gas industry.
We are not here to apportion much blame, because when you do that you don’t get anything solved. Everybody must take their responsibility, theexecutive must also take responsibility.
Senator Akpan, said apportioning blame would not curb oil theft.
The panel, in its recommendations, said, “Curtailing crude oil theft should be a collective responsibility thereby well-meaning members of the public must be encouraged to report illegal activities and transactions in stolen crude oil that may come to their knowledge from any part of the world.
“Nigeria should seek international financial collaboration to check illegal Letters of Credit used to fund the sale and purchase of Nigeria stolen crude, as such illegal crude sales can only be transacted through the world financial system.”
It also urged the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to deploy an online real time monitoring system across all upstream oil and gas production platforms to ensure accurate measure of production volume.
***Allocates N23.96 Trillion for Capital Projects, N14.31 Trillion for Debt Servicing
The Nigerian Senate along with the House of Represebtatives have passed the 2025 Appropriation Bill, approving a record-breaking budget of N54,990,165,355,396 to finance government activities in the coming fiscal year.
The budget, titled A Bill for an Act to Authorise the Issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, was approved after deliberations on its allocations and implications for economic growth, debt management, and infrastructure development.
The chairman of the National Assemble Godswill Akpabio who is also the President of the Senate gave the beakdown of the 2025 Budget to show that Statutory Transfers: ₦3.65 trillion, debt Servicing: ₦14.32 trillion, Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure: ₦13.06 trillion and
Capital Expenditure: ₦23.96 trillion
The largest chunk of the budget, ₦23.96 trillion, was allocated for capital expenditure, aimed at infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and security.
This signals the government’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit.
However, the ₦14.32 trillion earmarked for debt servicing highlights the country’s rising debt burden, sparking concerns over long-term financial sustainability.
With the National Assembly approval, the budget now awaits President Bola Tinubu’s assent, after which implementation will begin. Analysts predict a challenging fiscal year, balancing economic growth with prudent spending and debt repayment.
However, time will tell whether the historic budget will deliver on its promises, or economic realities force adjustments down the line?
***Says addittional fund is to Prioritize Infrastructure, Health, Economic Growth
The chairman of the senate committee on Appropriation Senator Adeola Solomon Olamilekan has explained the approval of the 2025 Appropriation Bill by the national Assembly which it increased from N49.7 trillion to N54.99 trillion—the highest in the nation’s history.
The adjustment followed legislative reviews that uncovered additional revenues from key government agencies.
While explaining the Budget Expansion and Revenue Sources Olamilekan indicated that the additional N4.99 trillion was sourced from Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs)
These he said led to an increase in funding for critical sectors, including N1.5 trillion for Bank of Agriculture, N500 billion for Bank of Industry, 1 trillion for Ministry of Solid Minerals, N1.5 trillion for Renewable Infrastructure Fund, N300 billion – Road construction and N400 billion for Rail transport.
Others are N380 billion of Water resources, irrigation, and dam projects, N250 billion for Military barracks renovation N120 billion for New military aviation projects, N50 billion for Border security agencies
Following the suspension of U.S. health aid, which previously provided funding for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and polio treatments, President Tinubu approved $200 million (N300 billion) to ensure continued medical supplies and healthcare support for affected patients.
On the major Boost for Infrastructure Development he said a record N23.7 trillion has been allocated for capital projects, marking a significant leap in infrastructure investment.
He listed the areas the funds will focus on to include Roads and railways,nEducation and healthcare improvements and Other critical public infrastructure
To prevent delays in budget implementation, the 2026 budget process will begin in July 2025, with the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted early and the Appropriation Bill expected by October 2025.
Concerns over inadequate rail infrastructure funding in the South East were raised, but legislative leaders clarified that rail projects are primarily funded through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
According to him, the 2025 budget focuses on light rail development in Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna, and Kano, while further discussions on South East projects are ongoing.
He explained that to maintain Economic Stability the budget parameters remain unchanged, with key revenue sources including FIRS increasing its revenue target to N25.1 trillion, Nigeria Customs Service boosting revenue collection through stricter enforcement and Independent revenue agencies contributing 100% of their generated funds to the federal government
The House of Representatives has directed its Joint Committee on Communications and Interior to investigate reports of unauthorized National Identification Number (NIN) linkages by telecom service providers across Nigeria.
The decision followed the unanimous adoption of a motion jointly sponsored by Hon. Patrick Umoh (APC, Akwa Ibom) and Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo). The House also instructed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to probe the allegations and sanction any telecom operator found guilty of violating privacy laws.
Additionally, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has been asked to clarify whether telecom providers were authorized to link NINs to subscriber lines and if such actions comply with existing regulations.
Hon. Umoh raised concerns about recent reports indicating that telecom companies have linked NINs to subscribers’ SIM cards without their consent. He warned that this unauthorized linkage exposes Nigerians to criminal activities, such as identity theft, financial fraud, and other cybercrimes.
“This action is a clear violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019, which guarantee the right to privacy and the protection of personal data,” Umoh stated.
He further emphasized that while the NIN system was introduced to enhance national security and streamline identification processes, unauthorized linkages undermine public trust and jeopardize citizens’ safety.
“Aware that innocent citizens have been wrongly implicated in crimes, suffered reputational damage, harassment, and legal challenges for offenses they know nothing about, it is imperative that we address this issue immediately,” Umoh added.
The House has mandated the probe committee to submit its findings within four weeks, as lawmakers seek to protect Nigerians from potential data breaches and uphold the integrity of national security protocols.
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