Abuja: The Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI) has called for a comprehensive forensic audit of Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries covering the period from 2000 to 2023. Dr. Omoniyi Akinsiju, Chairman of IMPI, made this announcement in a statement on Friday, challenging claims by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that successive All Progressives Congress (APC) administrations spent $18 billion on refinery rehabilitation.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Akinsiju dismissed the $18 billion claim as misleading, arguing that the issues of mismanagement and opaque spending on refinery maintenance predate the APC’s governance. He emphasized that a credible audit should trace financial disbursements starting from the year 2000, as that period marks the deepening of Nigeria’s refinery challenges under civilian rule.
Akinsiju provided a historical overview of various Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) contracts awarded since the 1990s, noting that many yielded minimal improvements. He highlighted a s
pecific 1994 contract awarded to Chrome Oil Services Limited for the Port Harcourt refinery, which reportedly produced unsatisfactory results despite a $216 million investment.
The IMPI chairman recollected how over $4.6 billion was spent by successive administrations between 2000 and 2015, leaving the refineries in a state of disrepair. This period included administrations led by former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan. He referenced a 2015 internal report by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which revealed a lack of proper maintenance since 2001 due to aging infrastructure and untraceable components.
Addressing the role of APC administrations, Akinsiju noted that while the late former President Muhammadu Buhari allocated resources for refinery rehabilitation, the approach was fundamentally different from previous TAM exercises. He cited contracts awarded in 2021 for full-scale rehabilitation and referenced former NNPC Group Chief Executive Mele Kyari’s explanation of th
e distinction, emphasizing that rehabilitation involves replacing major components without completely shutting down the plant.
Akinsiju argued that a full-spectrum audit could help Nigeria account for billions of dollars and influence future oil and gas policies, especially in the midstream sector. He stressed, “We must clarify history and ensure accountability. This is not about party politics but national interest and public trust.”