The House of Representatives has initiated a probe into the over $18 billion spent on rehabilitating Nigeria’s three state-owned refineries—Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna—over the past two decades, amid continued non-performance.
This followed the adoption of a motion titled Non-functionality of State-owned Refineries, sponsored by Hon. Sesi Oluwaseun Whingan, during Thursday’s plenary in Abuja.
Whingan expressed concern that despite years of promises and repeated budgetary allocations for turnaround maintenance, the refineries remain idle, forcing the nation to rely heavily on imported petroleum products.
He recalled that under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration in 2007, Aliko Dangote and other investors acquired the refineries before the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua reversed the transaction, opting instead for government-led rehabilitation—a decision that has produced no meaningful outcome.
According to Whingan, both Obasanjo and Dangote have publicly stated that the refineries were unviable and that the billions spent on them were wasted, further fuelling public anger over alleged mismanagement of funds.
He also referenced comments by NNPC Limited’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Bayo Ojulari, who in a July 10 interview distanced the current administration from past refinery mismanagement and hinted at possible asset sales.
Whingan described the revelations as evidence of financial recklessness and a betrayal of public trust, warning that the failure to revive the refineries threatens Nigeria’s energy security and economic stability.
He added that the continued reliance on imports, particularly after petrol subsidy removal, has worsened inflation and public hardship.
The House directed its Committees on Gas Resources, Public Assets, and Petroleum (Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream) to investigate all funds appropriated and disbursed for refinery rehabilitation between 2010 and 2024, assess their operational status, and identify individuals or agencies responsible for any infractions.
The committees are to report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
