$2.9 Billion Wasted on Refineries: How Nigeria Now Relies on Dangote to Keep Fuel Flowing

Nigerians are no strangers to rising fuel prices and endless queues at petrol stations, but few realize just how deep the problem runs. According to Femi Falana, SAN, the country has spent a staggering $2.9 billion maintaining four government-owned refineries all of which remain practically non-functional.

And now, shockingly, the NNPC is relying almost entirely on Dangote Refinery, a private facility, to supply fuel across the nation. That’s right: after decades of pouring public money into state refineries, Nigeria now depends on a private company to keep its fuel flowing.

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The Numbers Don’t Lie

• $2.9 billion: Money spent maintaining four refineries that barely produce usable fuel.

• 4 refineries: Non-functional and largely idle despite decades of upkeep.

• Dangote Refinery: The new lifeline keeping Nigerian fuel supply stable.

Falana says it clearly: “Is this how to run a country?” He points out that after years of mismanagement and wasted resources, public infrastructure has failed the people, and now a private refinery is shouldering the burden.

What Nigerians Are Saying

The reactions on X tell the story just as clearly:

• “This man don dey talk for two mouth oo… NNPC rely on Dangote? Kee… when same Dangote doesn’t get enough supplied oil by NNPC which results in import… what type of nonsense is this?”

• “Half bread is better than no bread. If not for Dangote, the black market would have dominated the streets by now.”

• “We had four refineries in Nigeria, but none are functioning. Yet, public funds keep being deducted to fix them and still nothing works.”

• “Nigeria isn’t a country. It’s a business empire for a few individuals.”

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Why This Matters

This isn’t just about economics; it’s about governance. For decades, state refineries were meant to make Nigeria self-sufficient in fuel. But billions spent and no results mean:

• High fuel prices remain.

• Private players like Dangote now control a critical part of the economy.

• Government credibility suffers, fueling public distrust.

While Dangote’s refinery fills the gap, the reality is clear: the system has failed, and Nigerians deserve answers on where billions went and why state refineries cannot function as promised.

The Bottom Line

Nigeria’s reliance on a private refinery highlights a policy failure decades in the making. While private enterprise provides a temporary lifeline, the truth remains: government oversight and accountability in the oil sector are long overdue.

The NNPC now solely relies on Dangote Refinery. Is this how to run a country? After pouring money down the drain, $2.9bn was spent on maintaining our four refineries; nobody is talking about that. Now it’s all about Dangote!

~ Femi Falana, SAN says pic.twitter.com/PLCIcgI6aC

— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) March 12, 2026