EFCC Uncovers Chinese-Run Illegal Oil Refinery In Ogun State

According to Punch, published on November 3, 2026, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has uncovered an illegal oil refinery allegedly operated by Chinese nationals in Ogere, Ogun State.

The discovery was made on Saturday, October 31, by operatives from the commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2. The operation followed intelligence gathering and surveillance targeting suspected illegal sludge oil refining activities in the area.

Although the facility was deserted when the officers arrived, they discovered underground tanks and waste materials believed to have come from the refining process. The EFCC also reported that two of the tanks contained substances suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil, commonly known as diesel.

Preliminary findings indicated that the operators allegedly obtained sludge oil from Warri in Delta State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State before transporting it to the Ogun facility for processing.

The commission explained that the suspected process involved exposing the sludge oil to intense heat. Lighter petroleum components were then passed through chambers and filters in a process believed to produce diesel for sale in the Nigerian market.

According to the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, workers found at the premises told investigators that the Chinese operators had never disclosed their identities or the name of the company behind the facility.

The discovery followed an earlier EFCC operation against four illegal lithium processing plants in the same area. However, the commission did not disclose whether the two operations were connected beyond their location.

The EFCC has since taken control of the refinery premises as investigations continue. The commission is working to identify the alleged operators, establish who owns the facility and determine the full extent of the suspected illegal activities.

No identities of the alleged Chinese operators or arrests connected to the refinery had been announced in the report.