NNPCL Spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye has resigned amid N210 trillion scandal rocking the oil giant.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the spokesperson of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited( NNPCL), Olufemi Soneye has resigned after spending 20 months in office.
Soneye disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday.
He said he would no longer be the spokesperson for the oil giant, as he had “stepped aside from his role as Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd”.
Soneye said he wants to devote more time to his family, and attend to personal responsibilities that now require his closer presence.
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NNPCL appointed Soneye as its spokesperson in August 2021.
Soneye’s full statement:
Dear Esteemed Colleagues,
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to you all for the unwavering support, professionalism, and genuine commitment you’ve shown in helping to shape and amplify the NNPC Ltd story over the past 20 months. Your role in building a vibrant and effective communications presence for our national energy company has been nothing short of invaluable.
I wish to inform you that I have stepped aside from my role as Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd.
This decision will allow me to devote more time to my family and attend to personal responsibilities that now require my closer presence.
It has been a profound honour to serve both the company and our country and to contribute in my own way to the ongoing transformation of NNPC Ltd. I am deeply grateful for the trust reposed in me, the opportunities granted, and the incredible professionals both within and outside the organisation with whom I have worked.
I remain a steadfast supporter and ambassador of NNPC Ltd wherever I go. I enjoin you, dear colleagues, to continue your robust, balanced, and constructive reportage in support of the company’s noble mission and strategic role in Nigeria’s energy future.
With sincere appreciation,
Olufemi Soneye.
Meanwhile, NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Soneye’s reignation from the oil magnate is coming few days after the Senate Committee on Public Accounts grilled top NNPC officials over inconsistencies in their audited statements spanning from 2017 to 2023. The committee uncovered a staggering ₦103 trillion in accrued expenses, including questionable entries such as ₦600 billion in “retention fees,” unspecified legal costs, and unexplained auditor charges.
Another ₦103 trillion was flagged under “receivables,” with figures that sharply contradicted data in previously released financial documents. Lawmakers were shocked to receive a last-minute revised report that failed to match earlier disclosures—raising further concerns about the company’s credibility.
Committee chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, condemned the discrepancies:
“Trillions of naira are in question. The numbers are inconsistent and, frankly, alarming. These are not minor errors—they speak to a systemic lack of transparency.”
Wadada emphasized that while the Senate is not conducting a witch-hunt, the scale of the irregularities demands full accountability. He also questioned the logic of finalizing and publishing audited reports while key reconciliation processes were still ongoing.
“How do you proceed to finalize accounts when figures are still being debated internally? That alone undermines trust in Nigeria’s financial reporting systems.”
