Nigeria’s anti financial fraud agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has uncovered an illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in the Ogere area of Ogun State in southwestern Nigeria.
The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Dele Oyewale, said in a statement on Tuesday that the facility was discovered on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026 by operatives of its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, following intelligence and surveillance on illegal sludge oil refining activities.
According to the statement, the facility was deserted when the operatives arrived, following an earlier crackdown on four illegal lithium processing plants in the area.
It, however, said that the operatives discovered waste products from the refining process and underground tanks suspected to have been used for heating and processing sludge oil.
The statement said that the two of the underground tanks inspected contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel.
It added 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.
The materials were reportedly transported to the Ogere facility for processing.
According to the EFCC, the operators subjected the sludge oil to intense heat, allowing lighter petroleum components to pass through chambers and filters in a process believed to produce diesel for sale in the Nigerian market.
The statement said that personnel at the facility told investigators that the Chinese operators never disclosed their identities or the name of the company behind the operation.
It added that operatives of the commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 had taken over the premises.
The EFCC said that investigations were ongoing to establish the identities of the operators, ownership of the facility and the full extent of the suspected illegal activities and economic sabotage.
GIK/APA