The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating power sector reforms and expenditures between 2006 and 2024 has constituted a seven-member sub-committee to conduct a forensic audit of gas supplied to electricity generation companies across Nigeria.
The sub-committee, chaired by Afam Ogene, includes Kafilat Ogbara, Salisu Magaji, Faud Laguda, and Harrison Nwadike among its members.
The decision followed the adoption of a motion moved by Nwadike, who questioned the rationale behind the continued supply of gas to the moribund Sapele Power Plant in Delta State for over a year despite no electricity generation.
Speaking at the National Assembly Complex on Tuesday, Nwadike said the committee discovered during a recent oversight visit to the Sapele plant that it had not generated electricity despite receiving gas supplies.
The Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Al-Mustapha Aliyu, expressed concern that Seplat Energy Company may not be supplying adequate gas to generation companies (gencos), thereby strangulating power plants and short-changing the country.
Responding, the Managing Director of Seplat Energy, Ibiada Itoto, dismissed the claims, insisting that the company remains committed to supporting the Federal Government’s power sector reform agenda.
The General Manager, Gas, Seplat Energy, Olubukola Fasoyin, said the Sapele Power Plant currently owes Seplat ₦20 billion for gas already supplied.
Unimpressed by the explanations, Nwadike moved the motion for a forensic audit, noting that Seplat could be guilty of an economic offence for allegedly acting as an accomplice to the mismanagement of gas supplied over the past year.
Aliyu added that it was concerning that a company of Seplat’s stature reportedly lacked internal mechanisms to detect misuse of gas supplied to power plants.
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The Ad-hoc Committee was inaugurated to address longstanding challenges in Nigeria’s electricity sector, including persistent power outages, weak generation capacity, and the large public funds invested in reforms between 2006 and 2024.
Despite efforts such as the unbundling and privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, the establishment of generation and distribution companies, and repeated financial interventions, electricity supply remains unstable.
The newly constituted sub-committee is tasked with reviewing the supply, utilisation, and monitoring of gas provided to gencos and is expected to submit its findings to the main committee for further legislative action.