Another Refinery Gamble? Backlash Erupts as Experts Question NNPC’s Chinese Partners
Fresh controversy is engulfing the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) after its latest refinery rehabilitation agreements with two Chinese firms triggered outrage among industry experts and energy stakeholders. At the center of the storm is a troubling question many Nigerians are now asking: after spending nearly $3 billion on failed refinery repairs, is the country about to repeat the same costly mistakes?
The backlash followed NNPC’s announcement that it signed Memoranda of Understanding with Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xinganchen Industrial Park Operation and Management Company Limited for the rehabilitation and operation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.
But critics say the move raises more questions than confidence.
Energy experts and industry stakeholders argue that neither Chinese company has verifiable global experience in refinery construction, rehabilitation, or operation comparable to established engineering giants previously contracted for the projects. That criticism intensified after former OPSN president Dele Oye publicly questioned both firms’ technical and financial competence.
His comments struck a nerve.
According to Oye, one of the firms mainly operates in chemicals while the other is linked to industrial park and real estate management—not refinery engineering. He warned that Nigeria could be walking into another costly experiment without resolving unanswered questions surrounding previous refinery rehabilitation contracts worth billions of dollars.
And that is where public frustration deepens.
Despite massive approvals under former President Muhammadu Buhari and continued funding under Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s refineries are still not producing fuel consistently. Reports of “mechanical completion” and reopening have repeatedly ended in shutdowns and disappointment.
Critics now wonder why indigenous energy companies with growing technical capacity were overlooked.
Many point to the success of local oil firms and even the privately funded Dangote Refinery as proof that Nigeria has enough expertise and investment potential to pursue more transparent, commercially viable refinery solutions.
NNPC insists the new MoUs are only preliminary discussions aimed at creating sustainable technical partnerships. But skepticism remains high, especially with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission reportedly investigating aspects of past refinery rehabilitation spending.
For many Nigerians, the issue is no longer just about fixing refineries.
It is about accountability, transparency, and whether billions of public dollars are once again being placed at risk without clear answers.
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