The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has uncovered a suspected illegal oil refinery in Ogere, Ogun State. Chinese nationals allegedly operated the facility. The EFCC made the discovery on 31 October 2026. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said operatives found the facility following intelligence gathering and surveillance.
Illegal refining has plagued the Niger Delta for decades. In 2013, the government estimated losses at 400,000 barrels per day. The trade persists because demand for cheap fuel is high and enforcement is weak. The EFCC has increasingly targeted illegal refining operations. In 2024, it shut down several facilities in Rivers and Delta. The involvement of foreign nationals is a newer development. In September 2026, the Navy uncovered about 182,000 litres of suspected stolen crude in Bethel Creeks, Rivers State. The pattern is consistent. Storage and refining infrastructure are critical to the illicit supply chain.
The facility was deserted during the raid. It contained processing waste and underground tanks. Two of the tanks held substances suspected to be diesel. Preliminary investigations indicated that operators sourced sludge oil from Warri, Delta State, and Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The oil was processed and sold. Security personnel could not identify the operators or the company involved. The EFCC has secured the facility pending further investigations. The discovery followed the closure of four illegal lithium processing plants in the area.
Winners: The EFCC, which demonstrates enforcement. The legitimate petroleum sector. The environment, which avoids some pollution. Losers: The illegal refiners, who lose a facility. Their financiers, who remain unidentified. Communities dependent on the trade for income. The government, which loses revenue. Buyers of cheap illegal fuel.
Bottom Line: An illegal refinery. Underground tanks. Suspected diesel. The operators fled. The EFCC secured the site. The investigation continues. The trade persists because demand persists. Enforcement is necessary. It is not sufficient.