Oil and gas consultant Maurice Ibe has lambasted the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), accusing entrenched corruption of transforming the country's state-owned refineries into protected political cash cows for elites, even after more than $25 billion poured into repairs and maintenance over recent decades.
In a recent interview with ARISE NEWS, Ibe expressed deep frustration over the persistent failure of the refineries—located in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna—despite the massive spending since 1999.
He emphasized that no one has faced jail time for the widespread corruption and mismanagement that have plagued the NNPC."It's sad, really sad," Ibe said. "What is troubling about it is that nobody has gone to jail for the corruption and malfeasance that has bedevilled NNPC, especially regarding the refineries. Twenty-five billion dollars and counting, and nothing to show for it — and nobody has gone to prison."
The consultant argued that successive governments have shielded corrupt actors, turning the NNPC into a reliable source of illicit funds for politicians. "Not just this government, but most prior governments have never been serious about fixing NNPC," he stated.
"It has been a cash cow for politicians, and because of that, those deeply involved in corruption are protected. They make sure the refineries do not work and should not work."Ibe dismissed recent claims from former NNPCL officials that refineries like Port Harcourt were running at high capacity (up to 80%), calling them misleading. He pointed out that genuine operations would deliver immediate benefits, such as lower fuel prices in surrounding regions and visible economic activity in host communities—none of which has materialized.
Rather than a lack of funding being the core issue, Ibe blamed deliberate diversion of allocated resources. "We were not focusing on financing we were focusing on stealing the money," he said. "If an investor puts in money, he ensures the refinery works. What happened instead was that funds meant for repairs were stolen."
To break the cycle, Ibe advocated for engaging reputable engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firms alongside long-term equity investors who have a real stake in profitable operations. He stressed that simply injecting funds without professional management and insulation from political meddling would lead back to failure.
While acknowledging Nigeria's pool of skilled engineers, he noted they lack the specialized tools and infrastructure needed, requiring reliable international partners."Without equity investors who can operate these refineries professionally, we will continue to go round in circles," Ibe warned, calling for genuine accountability and anti-corruption measures as prerequisites for meaningful reform.
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