CSOs Call for Full Investigation Into $1.5bn Port Harcourt Refinery Repairs Under Kyari
A coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), under the aegis of the National Transparency Network, has called for a full-scale investigation into the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) under the leadership of its immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari.
At a press conference held in Abuja, the group demanded the establishment of a Special Commission of Inquiry to investigate the alleged financial mismanagement, with particular emphasis on the $1.5 billion purportedly spent on the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refineries (PHRC) 1 and 2.
“Firstly, we must draw attention to the previously mentioned staggering sum of $1.5 billion earmarked for the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s refineries,” the group said in a statement. “Nigerians were led to believe these funds, allocated by the Buhari-led administration in 2021, were intended for a comprehensive overhaul.”
Dr. Fabian Opialu, National Coordinator of the coalition, said the funds were not only misappropriated but failed to yield any meaningful result. “To the shock and dismay of the public, not only were these funds entirely expended on just one refinery, but the said refinery turned out to be non-functional, failing to meet even the most basic industrial standards expected of such an investment,” he stated.
The CSOs expressed outrage over what they described as a national betrayal. “Such fiscal mismanagement should have been the subject of a rigorous criminal investigation involving all national and international parties implicated in this debacle,” they said.
They also raised concerns over an alleged suspicious arrangement between NNPCL and Matrix Oil, which reportedly invested $400 million in the refinery rehabilitation without clear terms or defined benefits to the nation.
The group alleged that false reports of “mechanical completion” were being used to mask the failure of the project. “Despite these reports, the Port Harcourt refinery has yet to deliver refined products to Nigeria and Nigerians,” they said.
Furthermore, they demanded a comprehensive forensic audit of NNPCL’s financial records over the past five years, publication of those allegedly involved in the misallocation of 89 million barrels of crude oil, and a legislative oversight hearing to ensure transparency in the operations of the newly appointed NNPCL board.
“Where did these huge funds disappear to? Why was the initial plan of rehabilitating two refineries abandoned without justification? Who are those responsible for this national capture of our resources?” the group queried.
The coalition also described the unresolved issue of the 89 million barrels of crude oil allegedly misallocated to non-state actors as “an enormous economic sabotage of the highest order.”
“It is an undeniable fact that Nigerians deserve to know who authorized such transfers, who the beneficiaries are, and why no arrests have been made to date,” they emphasized.
While commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its reform agenda, the group stressed that reforms without accountability are “merely cosmetic.”
“Under President Tinubu’s administration, the silenced voices of Nigerians are being amplified, demanding answers to critical questions,” the group stated. “The situation at the NNPCL is symptomatic of a deeper malaise that must be uprooted if Nigeria is to fulfill its economic potential.”
They called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the National Assembly, and the Presidency to act swiftly, stressing that “Nigerians will not tolerate another phase of misappropriation and concealment.”
The CSOs concluded with a rallying call to citizens, stakeholders, and the media to remain vigilant. “Otherwise, our collective silence will embolden corrupt actors to continue their plundering of our national resources.”