Nigeria: EFCC Uncovers Illegal Chinese Oil Refinery in Ogun

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered an illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in the Ogere area of Ogun State, where underground tanks containing substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel, were discovered.

The operation was conducted on Saturday, October 31, 2026, by operatives of the EFCC's Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, following what the commission described as credible intelligence and surveillance on the activities of illegal sludge oil refiners.

According to the EFCC, the facility was deserted when operatives stormed the premises, following an earlier clampdown on four illegal lithium processing plants in the area.

However, operatives discovered waste products from the refining process, alongside underground tanks believed to have been used for heating and processing sludge oil.

Two of the underground tanks inspected reportedly contained substances suspected to be AGO.

The EFCC said that preliminary investigations revealed that the operators sourced sludge oil, also known as black sludge, from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State before transporting the materials to the illegal refinery in Ogere for processing.

The anti-graft agency said further investigations indicated that the operators subjected the sludge oil to intense heat, allowing lighter petroleum components to pass through a series of chambers and filters in a process believed to produce AGO for sale in the Nigerian market.

The EFCC disclosed that security personnel stationed at the facility told investigators that the Chinese operators never disclosed their identities or the name of the company allegedly behind the refinery.

The commission said its operatives had subsequently taken over the premises as investigations continue to establish the identities of the operators, ownership of the facility and the full extent of the suspected illegal activities.

The EFCC said the investigation would also determine the extent of the suspected economic sabotage associated with the operation.

The discovery comes after the commission's earlier operation against four illegal lithium processing facilities in the same Ogere area, although the EFCC has yet to disclose whether the suspected operators of the oil refinery are connected to those facilities.