NMDPRA Discovers Illegal Refinery with 90,000-Litre Tank

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) announced the discovery of an illegal refinery in Ogere Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area, Ogun State. The facility occupies over three hectares of land and contains an underground storage tank with a capacity exceeding 90,000 litres.

Dr Atilola Akinyemi, the State Coordinator of NMDPRA, stated that intelligence gathering was crucial in uncovering this operation, which was inspected alongside officials from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Akinyemi described the facility as crude and completely illegal, lacking any permits from regulatory authorities.

He compared it to illegal refining activities from the 1990s and early 2000s in the Niger Delta. The facility included locally fabricated tanks, separation silos, underground heating systems, and cooling hydrants.

Akinyemi warned against labeling the recovered products as diesel without laboratory tests, emphasizing the risks they pose to vehicles. The products have been confiscated and are under the Federal Government's authority pending analysis.