The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered over N5 billion and $10 million from contractors and government officials implicated in fraudulent activities linked to the turnaround maintenance of Nigeria’s refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri. Investigators disclosed that an additional N10 billion and $13 million allegedly siphoned through inflated contracts are being targeted for recovery.
According to top sources, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede is personally overseeing the probe, expressing concern over Nigeria’s long-dormant refineries despite huge public funds allocated for their rehabilitation. Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries have remained largely non-functional for decades, forcing the country to depend heavily on imported petroleum products.
The ongoing investigation is scrutinising allocations of $1.56 billion to the Port Harcourt refinery, $740.6 million to Kaduna, and $656.9 million to Warri. Findings point to widespread malpractices such as over-invoicing, contract inflation, and questionable payments as key reasons the facilities failed to deliver.
Sources confirmed that former management teams of the refineries have been repeatedly interrogated, while some serving and retired officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) are set to face charges.
“Investigations flagged former management teams of the three refineries who were arrested several times and grilled to uncover fraudulent dealings that prevented the refineries from functioning optimally,” one senior investigator said.
The official added that the EFCC has concluded investigations on certain NNPCL executives and is preparing charges against them.
“Both former and current officials of NNPCL and the refineries may be charged in court soon,” the source noted.
In addition to the sums already recovered, the anti-graft agency is probing fresh allegations of contract inflation worth about $40 million, allegedly involving NNPCL officials and contractors engaged to procure equipment for rehabilitation projects.
EFCC officials confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing, with more recoveries expected in the coming weeks.
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