‘No misconduct in budget, procurement’: NPA denies corruption allegations

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has denied allegations of corruption, saying misapplication of budgetary provisions is impossible under its strict regulatory framework.

The NPA General Manager of Corporate and Strategic Communications, Ikechukwu Onyemekara, said this in a statement on Sunday, May 11, 2025.

Onyemekara stated that the Authority’s budget and spending undergo close monitoring by the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Budget Office, and the National Assembly.

Onyemekara noted that dredging at the Warri Escravos Channel was necessary due to worsening conditions threatening maritime navigation and national oil and gas operations.

The dredging contract followed the emergency procurement procedure in the Procurement Act 2007, countering claims made in some online reports.

Onyemekara said online publications alleging multi-billion-naira corruption within the NPA were false and baseless.

He affirmed that the NPA operates transparently, with financial activities fully supervised by federal bodies, making misapplication of funds implausible.

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“The marine craft procurement process was lawfully executed in response to urgent national energy security needs, involving offshore operations to support domestic crude oil sales,” he said.

The NPA spokesman described claims of withholding documents for over a year as untenable, citing civil service rules on processing timelines.

Allegations about transactions at NPA’s London office were also dismissed, with Onyemekara confirming no such activities ever occurred.

He attributed increased 2024 revenue to foreign exchange gains, since port charges are internationally benchmarked in foreign currency.

Onyemekara stressed that revocations of third-party contracts were conducted within legal frameworks and honouring existing agreements.

He urged media outlets to verify reports directly with the NPA, which, according to him, remains open to constructive dialogue.

The Star