The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating subsidy regime payments from 2013 to 2022 has said the profiles of 23 oil companies trading in Nigeria were not known.
Chairman of the committee, Mustapha Aliyu, at the resumed hearing of the committee, yesterday, with a couple of oil companies in attendance to explain their role in the deal with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited, said they had serious questions to answer.
Aliyu, who read a list containing the names of the individual companies, explained that a communication from the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, on the request of the committee came back without any information on the affected companies.
He said the committee woud write to the embassies of the companies, which he said were mostly expatriates to provide the details of their profiles.
The letter, with Ref. RGO/SU/VOL.5/2022/0248 dated July 13, 2022, signed by Maimunat Hamu on behalf of Register-General, sighted by Vanguard, read: “Kindly refer to your letter Ref: NASS/QHR/AHC/PPSRIM1/1H/01/051 dated July 1, 2022, on the subject matter above.
“Please be informed that we could not readily find information on the exact names of the following companies as provided in our record.
“Emadeb Consortium; Britania-U Nig. Limtted; Totsa Total Ol Tradings SA; Petroleum Trading Nigeria Limited; Mocoh S.A; Socer Worldwide; Calson Bermuda Ltd; Hyson; Litasco S.A; Mercuria Energy; Cepsa Lubricant; Trafigura Pte; Vitol S.A; Ocanbed Trading Limited; Bonno Energy; West Africa Gas Limited; Petrogas; Matrix; Masters Energy; Amg; Barbedos; Hindustan and Patermina.
“However, you may wish to provide the registration numbers or any other available documents at your disposal to enable us investigate further. Kindly accept assurances of the Registrar General’s highest regards.”
Similarly, another letter, with Ref: NASS/9HR/AHC/PPSR/14/iH/01/051, dated July 1, 2022, and previous response with Ref RGO/SU/VOL.5/2022/0248, dated Wednesday July 13, 2022, on the subject matter also read by the chairman had names of other oil companies who were to appear before the committee.
