Public Trust Erodes as Lawmakers Launch Another $18bn Refinery Probe While Dangote’s $20bn Private Plant Thrives
Story: written by Okafor Joseph OCTOBER 13,2025
When Nigeria’s House of Representatives announced yet another investigation into the failed rehabilitation of the nation’s oil refineries, the news barely stirred optimism. Across the country, many Nigerians sighed in frustration — after all, it’s a script they’ve seen too many times before.
Despite an estimated $18 billion reportedly spent to “revive” the country’s four state-owned refineries between 2010 and 2024, not a single one is fully operational. Meanwhile, a single private businessman — Aliko Dangote — built a brand-new refinery from scratch for about $20 billion, now considered one of the largest in the world.
Lawmakers Begin Yet Another Probe
Last Thursday, the House of Representatives voted to set up a joint investigative committee to examine how $18 billion in public funds was appropriated, disbursed, and allegedly spent on the refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri.
The new committee draws members from the Committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream), Public Accounts, Anti-Corruption, Finance, and Legislative Compliance. It has been tasked to review spending records, inspect the facilities, and identify any misuse of public funds.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, gave the panel four weeks to report back for further legislative action. However, Nigerians are not holding their breath.
Endless Investigations, No Results
This latest move marks just one of many similar probes in recent years. In July 2025, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) launched a technical sub-committee to review Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) investments — an exercise that produced no tangible results.
Before that, in 2023, lawmakers investigated claims that ₦11.3 trillion (about $14.5 billion) was spent on refineries between 2010 and 2020. That report, too, disappeared quietly.
Public scepticism runs deep. “Point out one probe successfully concluded by the National Assembly since 1999,” wrote one user, @OlanusuAkin, on X (formerly Twitter). “Every investigation ends up as a tool for collecting bribes.”
Another user, @Briggsisgreat, posted sarcastically: “Oh wow, another investigation in Nigeria? Can’t wait for the thrilling sequel where absolutely nothing happens again.”
For @DatKindguy, the numbers speak for themselves: “Dangote spent $20bn to build a new refinery. The government spent $18bn just to ‘repair’ existing ones — and they’re still not working. That’s a national disgrace.”
How We Got Here
Nigeria’s refineries — built in the 1970s and 1980s — were once symbols of national industrial pride. But decades of mismanagement, corruption, and political interference have turned them into liabilities.
In 2007, the Obasanjo administration sold the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries to a consortium led by Aliko Dangote. However, the sale was reversed by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who insisted the assets remain under government control. The decision marked the beginning of a new wave of “rehabilitation contracts” that have since drained public funds without restoring output.
In 2021, under President Muhammadu Buhari, the federal government approved a $1.5 billion rehabilitation deal for the Port Harcourt refinery. Four years later, the plant remains idle.
Billions Spent, No Fuel Produced
Nigeria remains Africa’s top crude oil producer but spends billions importing refined petroleum products — often from abroad using its own crude. The removal of fuel subsidies in 2023 by the Tinubu administration tripled pump prices and pushed inflation to record highs, deepening public anger.
Experts argue that Nigeria’s refinery failures are a critical economic vulnerability. Without local refining capacity, the country is exposed to global price shocks, loses thousands of potential industrial jobs, and wastes billions of dollars in foreign exchange annually.
Political analyst Innocent Okechukwu said, “The refineries are more than industrial assets; they are a mirror of Nigeria’s dysfunction. Every probe without consequence reinforces the message that corruption pays.”
The Dangote Contrast
While Nigeria’s government-run refineries lie dormant, Dangote’s privately funded refinery stands as a powerful contrast. Built with about $20 billion, the 650,000-barrel-per-day facility has begun limited operations — and may soon meet most of the nation’s fuel demand.
To many citizens, this juxtaposition tells the story of Nigeria’s governance failure. “If an individual could build a working refinery from scratch, why can’t the government fix its own?” asked @Preston on social media.
The Bigger Picture
The NNPC Limited’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, recently admitted that the state-owned refineries remain non-functional despite enormous investments. He even hinted that they could be sold — reigniting fears of another round of opaque transactions.
As yet another probe begins, few expect meaningful accountability. For many Nigerians, it feels like déjà vu: committees are formed, hearings are held, reports vanish, and billions remain unaccounted for.
Until the country confronts its deep-rooted culture of impunity, the refineries — and public trust — will likely remain idle.
