The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has apprehended the recently dismissed managing directors and several senior officials from Port Harcourt Refining Company, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company.
These officials are under investigation for allegedly mismanaging funds allocated for facility renovations, with a total amount in question of $2,956,872,622.36.
Investigations indicate that the EFCC is examining $1,559,239,084.36 designated for the Port Harcourt refinery, $740,669,600 for the Kaduna refinery, and $656,963,938 for the Warri refinery. Mr. Ibrahim Onoja is the former Managing Director of Port Harcourt Refining Company Ltd, while Efifia Chu previously held the same role at Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Ltd.
Sources within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) disclosed that approximately N80bn was discovered in the accounts of one of the dismissed managing directors, prompting criticism from industry experts who accused NNPCL of misleading the public about the refineries’ operations after their recent restart in late 2024.
Since reopening, the Port Harcourt refinery has consistently operated below 40% of its capacity, while the Warri refinery was shut down shortly after its restart due to safety concerns. Reports from NNPCL indicated that the new management terminated the contracts of the three managing directors along with other senior officials, including Bala Wunti, a former chief of NNPCL’s investment management services.
A senior EFCC source revealed that the ongoing investigation is focused on the significant funds released for the rapid maintenance of the three state-owned refineries, confirming that some individuals have already been arrested, and others are still being sought. The investigation aims to determine the whereabouts of the money and the state of the facilities.
An EFCC document dated April 28, 2025, shows that the probe also involves the former Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, among others. The document requests detailed information on the remuneration of several officials linked to the alleged abuse of office and fund misappropriation.
Despite these serious allegations, the spokesperson for NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, did not respond to requests for comment. Past claims of NNPCL’s operational efficiency have been met with skepticism by the public, particularly after reports emerged about the failed $897m refurbishment of the Warri refinery and the struggles faced by the Port Harcourt facility.
Energy expert Kelvin Emmanuel criticized the government for deceiving the public regarding the readiness of the three refineries to resume operations, claiming that the commissioning was staged for public relations purposes.
Plans for a partial restart of the Warri refinery face potential disruption due to an impending strike by support staff protesting poor working conditions, which could further delay operations. Local petroleum marketers, concerned about the ongoing lack of production at the Warri refinery, have had to resort to sourcing fuel from private depots, exacerbating pricing instability.
In summary, the ongoing EFCC investigation into the alleged mismanagement of massive funds allocated for refinery rehabilitation, along with consistent operational failures and public distrust, raises significant questions regarding the management and future of Nigeria’s refining capabilities.
