President Bola Tinubu’s administration came under fire over the weekend after the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) admitted that Nigeria’s state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna may never become operational again—despite consuming over $18 billion in rehabilitation funds.
The damning disclosure by the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari, during an interview with Bloomberg in Vienna, has sparked a national outcry, with opposition leaders, former public officials, and stakeholders calling for a criminal investigation into what they describe as one of Nigeria’s largest public sector frauds.
Ojulari, who succeeded Mele Kyari as NNPC boss in April 2025, said the company is now considering selling the refineries, admitting that past turnaround efforts had failed due to obsolete infrastructure, outdated technology, and mismanagement.
“Sale is not out of the question. All options are on the table,” Ojulari stated, during the 9th OPEC International Seminar.
His remarks echoed the sentiment of Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and Chairman of the Dangote Group, who said the refineries are unlikely to ever work again, despite the billions sunk into them.
Opposition Demands Probe, Slams APC-Led Government
Opposition voices were swift and fierce in their criticism. Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, accused both the Tinubu and Buhari administrations of deceiving Nigerians.
“These are part of the pack of lies. That means you cannot trust this government. There is no integrity, no due diligence,” Tanko declared.
Peter Ameh, Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), said it is unacceptable for successive governments to pour billions into the refineries with no result and then quietly suggest a sale.
“Before talking about sales, the government must first conduct a criminal investigation. Who looted this money? Who should go to jail?” he asked.
He also slammed the media and public institutions for failing to challenge official narratives when government operatives claimed the refineries were operational in 2024.
Dangote: “They Will Never Work”
While hosting business executives at his 650,000-bpd refinery in Lekki on Thursday, Dangote recalled that his group once acquired the refineries in 2007, only to return them under pressure from the Yar’Adua administration.
“As of today, they have spent about $18 billion on those refineries, and they are still not working. I doubt very much if they ever will,” he said.
He likened the turnaround efforts to modernizing a 40-year-old car: “Even if you change the engine, the body cannot take the shock.”
Obasanjo’s Prophetic Warnings
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo—who sold the refineries in 2007 before the sale was reversed by Yar’Adua—had long warned that the NNPC was incapable of managing the assets.
“NNPC knew they couldn’t do it. They just wanted to keep the money flowing and the corruption alive,” Obasanjo stated earlier this year.
“Even Shell refused to operate them. I told my successor: these refineries will never work, and one day, nobody will buy them—not even as scrap.”
Lawmakers React: House Committee to Investigate
Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Midstream), Henry Okojie, described the facilities as critical national assets and pledged a forensic investigation into all financial records associated with their maintenance.
“We represent the millions of Nigerians who own these refineries. We won’t allow hasty sales without accountability,” Okojie said.
“The committee will visit the refineries, examine the books, and unmask any fraud.”
Fear of Another Power Sector Failure
Former Senator Shehu Sani said while he doesn’t support selling the refineries, it may now be the lesser evil.
“It looks like the lesser devil is to sell them, so we don’t spend another $7 billion,” he said, but warned, “I hope they don’t go the way of the electricity DisCos.”
Professor Pat Utomi and Dr. Olu Agunloye of the SDP agreed that the refineries should have been sold years ago. Utomi described the rehabilitation as a “scam born out of an obsession to spend,” while Agunloye praised Ojulari for finally telling the truth.
“They must not do to other investors what they did to Dangote,” Agunloye warned.
Billions Lost, No Result
According to compiled data:
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$1.4bn approved for Port Harcourt refinery in 2021
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$897m for Warri refinery
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$586m for Kaduna refinery
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Over N100bn budgeted for refinery rehabilitation in 2021 alone
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$396.33m spent between 2013–2017 on Turnaround Maintenance (TAM)
Yet, none of the refineries are functioning.
Public Outrage Mounts
Civil society groups are now calling for a Truth Panel-style hearing, akin to the Oputa Panel, to bring officials and contractors involved in the scandal to public trial.
“If we don’t prosecute this, we are legitimizing corruption. They must be named and shamed,” said Ameh of CUPP.
