NNPC Denies Being a Public Institution After Several Demands for Accountability.

Please be informed that our client doesn’t fall under the purview of the freedom of information (FOI) Act, 2011, the letter by the NNPC solicitors read.

The provision of the act particularly section 31 thereof is clear and unambiguous as to the meaning of public institution. For the avoidance of doubt, the section provides as follows: public institution means any legislative, executive, judicial, administrative or advisory body of the government including boards, bureau, committees, or commissions of the state and any subsidiary body of those bodies including but not limited to committees, and sub-committees which are supported in whole or in part by public funds or which expends public funds and private bodies providing public services performing public function or utilizing public funds.

Our client is neither a legislative, executive, judicial, administrative or advisory body of government of Nigeria. It is a body established by the law to manage the commercial interests of Nigeria in the oil and gas sector and conduct trade therein. It cannot therefore by any stretch of imagination be brought within the definition of public institution under the act.

  If NNPC is not a public institution, then are we not simply joking in this country?