Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has asked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to provide a detailed breakdown of the N11.2 trillion recorded in its 2025 accounts as receivables from the Federation. Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the demands in a statement issued on Sunday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council. The N11.2 trillion is a receivable recorded by NNPC against the Federation and should not be interpreted as N11.2 trillion paid to pipeline-surveillance contractors.
NNPC's 2024 audited financial statements recorded N17.512 trillion as receivables from the Federation, comprising about N8.672 trillion in energy-security costs and N8.840 trillion in other receivables from the Federation. The accounts state that receivables from the Federation relate to expenses incurred on behalf of the Federation by NNPC. Atiku said the accounts did not provide enough information for Nigerians to determine how much was spent specifically on pipeline surveillance.
Atiku compared the amount with federal defence spending, arguing that the government should explain the scale of expenditure associated with protecting petroleum infrastructure while the country faces security challenges elsewhere. He asked NNPC to state how much of the receivables relates to protecting Nigeria's oil and gas infrastructure, what payments were made under that arrangement, who received them and what services were provided.
NNPC has previously defended its pipeline-security arrangements, saying in April that its integrated security programme contributed to the recovery of crude oil production from 960,000 barrels per day in 2022 to an average of 1.71 million barrels per day in 2025. The company said the arrangement combined intelligence gathering, security operations, regulatory oversight, industry cooperation and community-based surveillance.
Atiku also questioned the political activities of Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, who is associated with Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, a company engaged by the federal government for oil pipeline surveillance in the Niger Delta. Mr Ekpemupolo also founded and sponsors the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, which is campaigning for President Bola Tinubu's re-election.
Atiku raised questions about the award of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project to Hitech Construction Company Limited, owned by the Chagoury family. The federal government has defended the procurement process, saying it used restricted bidding. Atiku asked the government to publish the companies invited to participate in the process, the bids received, their evaluation and the final contract.
Atiku provided no evidence linking payments under Tantita's pipeline-surveillance contract to the campaign activities of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement. He also asked the Presidency to disclose whether companies or individuals holding major federal contracts had provided money, vehicles or other support to Tinubu's re-election campaign. The statement presented no evidence that Hitech or members of the Chagoury family had financed Tinubu's re-election activities.
Key points
- Atiku Abubakar demands details of NNPC's N11.2tn bill
- Atiku questions Tinubu's campaign funding
- Atiku raises concerns over pipeline surveillance contracts and Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project award
