The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called for an immediate and comprehensive audit of Nigeria’s state owned refineries, following reports that the Federal Government plans to privatise the facilities after spending an estimated $18 billion on rehabilitation over the years.
The call follows a recent statement made by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, that the sale of the country’s refineries, including those in Warri, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna, remaines a possibility as the company undertakes a full review of its downstream operations.
Ojulari made this known last week in an interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the 9th Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries International Seminar in Vienna on Thursday.
But in a statement issued on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned the rationale behind the government’s decision to sell the refineries after repeatedly allocating huge sums for repairs, with little to show for it.
“What exactly is the Federal Government selling—scrap metal or sovereign assets?” Abdullahi asked. “Successive administrations, particularly under the APC, have poured billions of dollars into refinery rehabilitation, only for the same facilities to remain non-functional. Now, the Tinubu government wants to sell them without any accountability. This is unacceptable.”
The ADC highlighted that despite $2.8 billion reportedly spent by the current administration on refinery repairs, none of the facilities are operating at full capacity.
“Just months ago, government officials claimed the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries had resumed operations. Now, they are declaring them ‘moribund’ and preparing to sell them off. Nigerians deserve to know: Was this a deliberate scheme to siphon public funds under the guise of rehabilitation?” the party demanded.
The statement also referenced comments by Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, who recently expressed doubts about the viability of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries.
“Even Dangote, who built Africa’s largest private refinery, has said these government refineries may never work again. So why did the government keep pumping billions into them? Was this a case of incompetence or outright fraud?” the ADC asked.
The party insisted that no sale should proceed without a full forensic audit covering all expenditures on refinery maintenance from 2010 to date.
“We are not against privatisation in principle, but we reject any fire sale shrouded in secrecy,” Abdullahi stated. “Before any refinery is sold, Nigerians must know: How much was spent? Who got the contracts? What was actually repaired? And what is the true state of these assets today?”
The ADC further demanded that findings from the audit be subjected to a public hearing involving the National Assembly, civil society groups, and anti-corruption agencies.
“This is not just about recovering stolen funds, it is about restoring public trust. If this government has nothing to hide, it should welcome full transparency,” the statement read.
The ADC raised concerns that the refineries could be deliberately undervalued and sold to politically connected individuals.
“We have seen this playbook before: run down public assets, declare them worthless, then hand them over to cronies at giveaway prices. This must not happen with our refineries,” the party warned.
The ADC’s statement ended with a firm demand for accountability, warning that “Nigerians will not tolerate another shady deal under the pretence of reform.”
“If the refineries are truly beyond repair, let an independent audit confirm it. If public funds were stolen, let the culprits face prosecution. But the government cannot quietly sell national assets after wasting billions—without answering tough questions,” Abdullahi declared.
“This is not just about money; it is about justice. And the ADC will not relent until Nigerians get the truth.”
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