The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained former managing directors and senior officials of Nigeria’s three state-owned refineries over alleged mismanagement of nearly $3 billion allocated for their rehabilitation.
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The probe involves the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, with $1.5 billion assigned to Port Harcourt, $740 million to Kaduna, and $656 million to Warri. Despite the massive funding, the refineries have remained largely non-functional, with Port Harcourt operating below 40% capacity and Warri shutting down weeks after restarting.
Sources revealed that about N80 billion was traced to the accounts of one of the dismissed officials. The investigation also covers former NNPCL CEO Mele Kyari and 13 other top executives, with the EFCC demanding records of their salaries and benefits.
Critics have faulted the NNPCL for poor transparency and handling of the projects. Experts say the funds could have been used to build new refineries, while the bypassing of original Japanese contractors reportedly led to inflated costs and poor outcomes.
The Warri refinery, commissioned in January 2025, has yet to release products to marketers. Support staff at the facility are threatening to strike over unmet promises of improved pay. Meanwhile, stakeholders are calling for a reassessment of the refineries’ operations following their continued underperformance.
