NNPC Boss dismissed from House of Reps’ Hearing for failing to submit presentation
Mele Kyari the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, was abruptly dismissed from a public hearing on tax reform bills by the House of Representatives Committee on Finance on Wednesday.
The hearing, which focused on four critical tax reform bills, saw Kyari take the podium to present NNPC’s position. However, just moments into his speech, he was cut off by Committee Chairman James Faleke, who inquired whether Kyari had submitted his proposal to the committee in advance.
Kyari explained that amendments had been made to NNPC’s memorandum and assured the committee that the updated document would be submitted later. But Faleke was unmoved. He insisted that the NNPC chief could only make his presentation once the finalized proposal was ready—suggesting a return on Thursday or Friday instead.
With no room for negotiation, Kyari had no choice but to step down and exit the venue, leaving behind a room of lawmakers and stakeholders surprised by the swift decision.
Before the hearing began, Faleke had emphasized that all organizations were required to submit their proposals in advance before addressing the audience. The tax reform bills under review—the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Tax Administration Bill, the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, and the Nigeria Revenue Service Bill—had already passed the second reading in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The Senate conducted its public hearings on Monday and Tuesday, while the House of Representatives sessions began on Wednesday and are set to conclude on Friday.
