Former NNPC chief Mele Kyari denies allegations that N210 trillion is missing or unaccounted for in the company’s financial records between 2017 and 2023. Speaking before a Senate committee on public accounts, Kyari says nothing was lost under his leadership and that the figures in question stem from accounting and bookkeeping entries rather than financial loss.
Kyari also responds to related audit concerns. He dismisses claims that N5 billion was spent on changing the company’s name from NNPC to NNPCL, and addresses questions about the registration and incorporation of NNPC Limited, explaining that payments were made on behalf of the federation and then charged to government revenue. Across outlets, the central focus remains Kyari’s denial and his explanation that discrepancies are accounting-related.
While The Punch and Vanguard both report the same core message—that Kyari tells senators the alleged N210tn discrepancy is not missing money—their headlines and lead emphasis vary slightly, with Vanguard foregrounding the “not missing” framing and The Punch leading with the denial to the Senate committee.
