Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has maintained his position on the Federal Government’s alleged withholding of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) dividends due to state and local governments, insisting that questions surrounding the payments remain unanswered.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, on October 18, 2026, the governor’s media office said the Presidency’s response failed to address the central issue raised by Makinde regarding the distribution of the dividends.
The statement explained that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), with the support of the Federal Government, engaged a consultant to reconcile NLNG dividend payments. According to the statement, the exercise identified a shortfall of about ₦9 trillion due to state and local governments, a finding the Federal Government reportedly accepted.
It added that the report remained in the custody of both the Federal Government and the NGF, expressing confidence that the Presidency would not deny its existence. The statement also noted that Governor Makinde is the incumbent Vice-Chairman of the NGF.
The governor’s media office acknowledged the Presidency’s claim that NLNG had paid $21.5 billion in dividends into the Federation Account since inception, including $3 billion received under the current administration.
However, it questioned how the funds were distributed, asking whether states and local governments had received their respective shares, how much was paid to them, and the basis for calculating the allocations.
The statement further sought clarification on the fate of the $3 billion reportedly received under the current administration, maintaining that Makinde’s comments were based on available information and not unfounded claims.
The Oyo State Government said it remained ready to provide further clarification and urged the Presidency to address the substantive questions surrounding the NLNG dividend payments and the distribution of funds to state and local governments.
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