House Finance Committee Bars NNPC GCEO Mele Kyari from Presenting at Tax Reform Hearing

NNPC GCEO Mele Kyari Turned Away by House Finance Committee During Public Hearing

Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, was unexpectedly asked to leave by the House of Representatives Committee on Finance during a public hearing on tax reform bills on Wednesday.

During the session, James Faleke, Chairman of the Committee, invited NNPC to present its position on the proposed bills. Kyari stepped forward, took the podium, and began addressing the gathering. However, he was swiftly interrupted by Faleke, who inquired whether NNPC had submitted its memorandum to the committee beforehand.

In response, Kyari explained that amendments had been made to the document and assured the committee that the updated version would be submitted later. However, his explanation was not accepted. Faleke insisted that the NNPC boss could only make his presentation on Thursday or Friday once the finalized proposal was ready, leaving no room for further discussion.

With his presentation cut short, Kyari stepped down from the podium and exited the venue.

Before the commencement of the public hearing, Faleke had emphasized that all proposals must be submitted in advance before any organization’s representative could address the committee.

The hearing was part of legislative deliberations on four key tax-related bills:

1. The Nigeria Tax Bill

2. The Tax Administration Bill

3. The Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill

4. The Nigeria Revenue Service Bill

These bills have already scaled the second reading in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate held its public hearing on Monday and Tuesday, while the House began its session on Wednesday, scheduled to run until Friday.