A former chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, has revealed that extreme bureaucracy within the agency once required 62 different signatures for a single contractor to receive payment.
Ndoma-Egba made these comments during an appearance on The Exchange Podcast, hosted by journalist Femi Soneye, which was released on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
The former Senate leader described the process as a “perfect breeding ground for inefficiency and corruption,” citing a specific conversation he had with his managing director while leading the commission.
“I initially heard a figure of 53 but was corrected to 62,” Ndoma-Egba stated, recounting the discussion about the steps needed for payment approval. He then laid out the consequences of such a system: “What does that imply? Serious bureaucracy. And what does serious bureaucracy breed? Inefficiency. What does inefficiency breed? Corruption.”
His criticism extended beyond financial red tape to the agency’s fundamental lack of strategic direction. He expressed dismay that a comprehensive master plan for the Niger Delta region, developed through extensive consultations, was abandoned immediately after its launch.
“It’s like you building a house in your village… you start with a plan,” he said. “For the NDDC, the lack of a master plan means the commission is just walking in the dark, unable to effectively integrate an entire region economically.”
Ndoma-Egba also highlighted how political interference has crippled the NDDC’s effectiveness. He revealed that his own board was dissolved unexpectedly via a news bulletin, without any formal communication from the Presidency or its supervising ministry. This arbitrary dissolution, he argued, truncates reforms and breeds instability.
“If the board is sure of its tenure, it can plan properly and deliver results. But when you keep dissolving boards arbitrarily, you destroy continuity and institutional memory,” he said.
He further described an attempt to investigate allegations of contractors being forced to pay bribes, which was violently disrupted when thugs invaded the venue for the investigative panel’s inauguration in Port Harcourt.
The former chairman concluded that corruption in the agency is often not premeditated but opportunistic, emerging from a system that is designed to encourage delay and manipulation. He urged the federal government to allow NDDC boards to complete their statutory four-year tenures to ensure proper planning and measurable progress for the region. Took 62 Signatures to Pay One NDDC Contractor, Says Ex-Chairman
A former chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, has revealed that extreme bureaucracy within the agency once required 62 different signatures for a single contractor to receive payment.
Ndoma-Egba made these comments during an appearance on The Exchange Podcast, hosted by journalist Femi Soneye, which was released on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
The former Senate leader described the process as a “perfect breeding ground for inefficiency and corruption,” citing a specific conversation he had with his managing director while leading the commission.
“I initially heard a figure of 53 but was corrected to 62,” Ndoma-Egba stated, recounting the discussion about the steps needed for payment approval. He then laid out the consequences of such a system: “What does that imply? Serious bureaucracy. And what does serious bureaucracy breed? Inefficiency. What does inefficiency breed? Corruption.”
His criticism extended beyond financial red tape to the agency’s fundamental lack of strategic direction. He expressed dismay that a comprehensive master plan for the Niger Delta region, developed through extensive consultations, was abandoned immediately after its launch.
“It’s like you building a house in your village… you start with a plan,” he said. “For the NDDC, the lack of a master plan means the commission is just walking in the dark, unable to effectively integrate an entire region economically.”
Ndoma-Egba also highlighted how political interference has crippled the NDDC’s effectiveness. He revealed that his own board was dissolved unexpectedly via a news bulletin, without any formal communication from the Presidency or its supervising ministry. This arbitrary dissolution, he argued, truncates reforms and breeds instability.
“If the board is sure of its tenure, it can plan properly and deliver results. But when you keep dissolving boards arbitrarily, you destroy continuity and institutional memory,” he said.
He further described an attempt to investigate allegations of contractors being forced to pay bribes, which was violently disrupted when thugs invaded the venue for the investigative panel’s inauguration in Port Harcourt.
The former chairman concluded that corruption in the agency is often not premeditated but opportunistic, emerging from a system that is designed to encourage delay and manipulation. He urged the federal government to allow NDDC boards to complete their statutory four-year tenures to ensure proper planning and measurable progress for the region.
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