The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) faces escalating scrutiny following delays in the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, which shut down for scheduled maintenance on May 24, 2025. Industry sources, including Sunny Nkpe, Zonal Chairman of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), have accused the NNPC’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, of a troubling lack of involvement in the project. Despite months passing since his appointment, Ojulari has yet to inspect the site, causing frustration among contractors owed back payments exceeding a year.
Nkpe asserts that the near-completion state of crucial refinery units prior to Ojulari’s tenure has stalled, fueling concerns about potential favoritism toward private refineries and market monopolization. The prolonged inactivity has had a ripple effect, leaving thousands of petroleum tanker drivers and marketers unemployed and disrupting fuel supply chains to cities like Aba and Enugu.
In a related development, two northern socio-political groups have filed a lawsuit in Kaduna, demanding an investigation into CFO Dapo Segun’s role in both the refinery’s stagnation and the disputed OVH Energy acquisition. These groups accuse Segun of ignoring fiduciary responsibilities and obstructing progress, calling for his immediate arrest and prosecution. They argue his ongoing presence is unjust, especially given the EFCC’s crackdown on other northern officials.
The plaintiffs seek judicial enforcement to compel EFCC action and ensure Segun temporarily relinquishes his duties during the probe. Their position highlights a growing clamor for accountability within Nigeria’s oil sector management.