A coalition of lawyers and civil society organisations on Monday filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), demanding full disclosure on refinery rehabilitation projects and other transactions carried out during the tenure of former Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari.
The group, operating under the banner Concerned Citizens Against Corruption, called for transparency over what it described as “monumental” financial irregularities allegedly committed between July 2019 and April 2025.
Allegations of Mismanagement and Fraud
Led by Comrade Ogwuche Emmanuel, the coalition alleged that Kyari’s tenure was marred by inflated contracts for refinery repairs, fraudulent crude oil allocations, misappropriation of funds, and irregularities in oil exploration and pipeline projects.
“We are concerned about the growing reports of inflation in the refineries rehabilitation contracts, mismanagement of crude oil proceeds, and fraudulent activities related to oil exploration that have yielded no national benefit,” Ogwuche said in the FOI request submitted to the NNPCL.
Breakdown of Information Demanded
The FOI request seeks comprehensive documentation on:
Payments to contractors and consultants for the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, including scope of work and justification for payments
Crude oil allocations and financial flows linked to pipeline security
Budgetary provisions, foreign financing, and progress reports on the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Project
Records related to gasoline imports, including ship manifests, bills of lading, and discharge certificates
Details of crude-backed loans, including terms, structures, and utilization
Outcomes and feasibility studies from oil exploration activities in Gombe, Bauchi, Ogun, and Nasarawa states
Call for Accountability and Legal Recourse
The group stated that it would pursue judicial intervention should the NNPCL fail to comply with the FOI Act within the legally stipulated period.
“As law-abiding Nigerians affected by these issues, we require these details to initiate necessary legal actions,” the group said, citing intelligence that suggests “a pattern of institutionalising questionable practices” under Kyari’s leadership.
