Diaspora Group Accuses NNPCL of Sabotage to Favor Dangote

The Nigerians in Diaspora Movement (NDM) has accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) of deliberately allowing state-owned refineries to remain non-functional, paving the way for Dangote Refinery to monopolize Nigeria's oil sector.

In a strongly worded statement issued from London on Monday, the Global President of NDM, Dr. Donald Illiya, described the ongoing public disagreements between NNPCL and Dangote Refinery as a smokescreen to distract Nigerians. He alleged that behind the scenes, the NNPCL is fostering conditions that allow Dangote Petrochemicals Refinery to emerge as the sole oil distributor in the country, thereby exploiting Nigerians with exorbitant pump prices for petroleum products.

Dr. Illiya expressed dismay over the NNPCL's failure to revive Nigeria's moribund refineries despite the billions spent on rehabilitation. He stated:

"For two decades, over N17 trillion has been funneled into so-called 'turnaround maintenance' for the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries. Yet, they remain inoperative, with shifting completion dates becoming the norm. This is no longer about incompetence-it is a calculated plot to facilitate a monopoly while concealing the massive theft of funds."

Highlighting the alarming figures, NDM noted that between 2002 and 2022, successive governments approved billions for refinery repairs. In 2019, the Buhari administration allocated $1.5 billion for the Kaduna, Port Harcourt, and Warri refineries, and by mid-2022, an additional N54.66 billion was spent. Yet, the only output Nigerians have seen are revised target dates that never materialize.

The group further alleged that the deliberate suppression of state refineries was creating conditions for Dangote Refinery to dominate the market, warning of the dangers of such monopolistic practices.

"Globally, governments are taking proactive steps to curb monopolistic tendencies and protect citizens. Here in Nigeria, we are seeing the reverse, with the NNPCL's actions seemingly designed to enable predatory practices," Illiya added.

NDM pointed to the inconsistencies in announced timelines for refinery repairs. In November 2023, Nigerians were promised that the Port Harcourt Refinery would resume operations by December 2023. However, by December, the target date shifted to March 2024. Similar delays have plagued the Kaduna and Warri refineries, with no tangible progress to show.

Urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene, NDM called for an urgent purge of corruption within the NNPCL. The group stressed that restoring the functionality of state refineries would not only lower fuel costs but also protect Nigeria from the risks of relying solely on a monopolistic supplier for petroleum products.

"The current situation is unacceptable. President Tinubu must act decisively to end this crisis, ensure accountability in the NNPCL, and prevent the emergence of a dangerous monopoly in the oil sector," the statement concluded.