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Nigeria’s Corrupt Petroleum Corporation Executives Invite Newspaper Editors To Lagos Hotel, To Bribe Them To Discredit Report About Their Incompetence, Wastefulness

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5 years ago

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The media learnt that the planned meeting with the editors is scheduled for 1pm on Sunday at Legend Hotel, close to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja in Lagos.

The management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has invited newspaper editors to a Lagos hotel with the intention of bribing them to discredit a recent report about ineptitude, mismanagement and corruption in the state oil and gas company.

The media learnt that the planned meeting with the editors is scheduled for 1pm on Sunday at Legend Hotel, close to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja in Lagos.

A source privy to information regarding the emergency meeting told the media it is to bribe editors to discredit a report exposing the incompetence of NNPC executives and their wastefulness.

“They are inviting some editors to Legend Hotel in Lagos to bribe them to discredit a story published by the ICIR on Friday that really embarrassed them. The meeting is scheduled for 1pm on Sunday (today),” the source said.

The content of the text message sent out to the invited editors reads: “Meeting of selected editors scheduled for Sunday 12/9/2021 @ 1pm. Venue: Legend Hotel adjacent Murtala Muhammed International Airport.  Please confirm, attendance.”

The report highlighted data collated from audited financial statements released by the NNPC, led by its Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, on Wednesday. The report exposed how Port Harcourt Refinery Company (PHRC), which is managed by Ahmed Dikko, an engineer, reported no income in 2020 but incurred administrative expenses of N19.215 billion, paying salaries, wages and other benefits to unproductive workers to the tune of N22.55 billion.

Despite making zero revenue, Port Harcourt refinery employed 487 new workers and paid N23 billion as salaries in 2020.

The media also learnt that the NNPC had already sponsored some groups to criticise the damaging report in an attempt to counter its implications by releasing press statements in the media.

For instance, a coalition of northern and southern groups recently released a joint statement saying the “continuous media attacks were designed to distract NNPC Group Managing Director and Port Harcourt Refinery Managing Director”.

The group said it took a stand during their second-quarter meeting in Kaduna at the weekend, “because the attack dogs of haters of the ongoing reforms at the NNPC are going beyond the boundaries of decency”.

“As Nigerian citizens, we feel duty-bound to draw public attention to a calculated, coordinated and well-funded media agenda designed to purposely distract the NNPC management, including another committed public servant – Dikko – who has been leading the reforms at the level of Port Harcourt refinery,” the group said.

The report on the 2020 financial statement of the company stated that the 487 new workers are being paid N3.93 billion annually, indicating that each of them takes an average of N8.072 million annually or N672,713 monthly.

The amount they earn monthly is about the annual salary of a normal Level 8 Federal Government worker.

Between 2019 and 2020, the refinery employed 1,162 new staff members, paying N41.163 billion in salary and wages, according to The ICIR’s calculations of the company’s wage data on its financial statements.

Also, out of the 487 staff members employed in 2020, 430 were senior and management staff members, amounting to 88.2 per cent, with huge financial implications. Only 57 were junior staff members.

Also, out of 675 staff engaged by the refinery in 2019, 656 were management and senior staff, members, representing 97 per cent of the total, with huge financial implications.

 

“It is looking like jobs for the boys at our dear refineries. And I wonder, most of these guys are earning heavy wages,” US-based Financial Consultant Ellam Ogochukwu said.

“Whoever is running that enterprise deserves to answer several questions,” she said.

Also, staff pension, gratuity and ‘long service award’ gulped N77.76 billion in 2020 as against N63.41 billion the previous year.

Surprisingly, under Dikko and his boss Kyari, the PHRC’s unproductive staff were allowed to take car loans, compassionate loans and advances valued at N1.001 billion in 2020.

The amount was N597.297 million in 2019.

In 2020, this refinery, which made no revenue, incurred a comprehensive loss of N53.179 billion.

In the previous year, the company made no revenue but incurred N50.530 billion in comprehensive loss.

Between 2017 and 2020, the company comprehensively lost N241.609 billion. Its revenue within this period was merely N6.27 billion.

“This refinery did not produce oil. What you have is that some people just iron their clothes, go to work and come back at the end of the day without adding to the productivity of the company,” Oil and Gas Analyst at Lagos-based Chapel Hill Denham Mustapha Wahab told The ICIR.

NNPC Managing Director, Kyari is the chairman of Port Harcourt refinery. He is followed by Ahmed Dikko (MD), Babatunde Sofowora (Executive Director of Services), Reginald Udeh (Executive Director, Finance and Accounts), James Ifeanyichukwu Ajibo (Executive Director, Operations), and Awaisu Muazu (late, served till July 2020).

These directors took N99.742 million as emoluments in 2020, a 67 per cent increase from N59.650 million they took in 2019.

In 2019, the Port Harcourt refinery did not record any revenue.  Yet, it reported N25.19 billion in expenses.

Six directors collected N59.65 million in fees, meaning that each of them received an average payment of N9.94 million a month in 2019.

According to the NNPC, names of the six directors in 2019 were:  Group Managing Director of NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari; Managing Director, Abba Bukar (who retired in March 2020); Executive Director of Services, Babatunde S. Sofowore; Executive Director of Operations, Ganiyu Abiodun Owolabi; another Executive Director of Operations, Engr Abel N. Imonighavwe; and Executive Director of Finance and Accounts, Mrs Aramide M. Ekundayo.

Salaries, wages, allowances, redundancy and pension costs gulped N22.195 billion. What that means is that, on average, each staff member received N32.88 million in 2019 from a company that made no revenue. This amounted, on the average, to N2.74 million each month.

Total salaries and pays received by staff members of Port Harcourt refinery between 2017 and 2019 amounted to N80.57 billion. But revenues received by the company within the period were estimated at N6.27 billion – implying that the NNPC sought N74.3 billion from outside the refinery to pay staff salaries.

Rather than privatise the refinery, the NNPC chose to pump an equivalent of 4.5 percent of Nigeria’s 2021 budget ($1.5 billion) into the refurbishment of a refinery that comprehensively lost N206.069 billion between 2017 and 2020.

Oil and Gas Analyst at Lagos-based Chapel Hill Denham, Mustapha Wahab said the investment in the refinery made no sense.

“Dangote refinery is coming on board and can process about 650,000 barrels per day of crude oil – highest in the world. NNPC has taken 20 per cent stake in Dangote.

“Why then are you resuscitating Port Harcourt refinery? We have done the analysis at Chapel Hill Denham and found that government should be spending $3billion or more to ensure efficiency of the refinery. So, it does not make investment sense because you are not going to compete with yourself,” he said.

“Two, Some countries are exiting low-carbon energy sources and migrating to clean energy. So, after rehabilitating Port Harcourt refinery, for how long will you enjoy its benefits, given that your market is not just Nigeria but also those countries exiting what you intend to sell to them?” he asked, urging the Nigerian Government to concession it for optimal benefits to the Nigerian economy.

Oil and Gas Governance Consultant, Henry Ademola Adigun also noted that the refinery was badly managed.

“The point is that the refineries are still badly managed. The faster the corporation becomes a limited liability company, the better,” Adigun said.

“You have a refinery not producing anything and not making revenues but salaries are being paid. How did the NNPC make the profit they said they made when the inefficiencies are there? The profit and loss do not show anything. They simply want to make it attractive to the stockman.”

He said there was no cost-cutting by the NNPC or the refineries, adding that there were also “no innovative efficiency, no restructuring or replanting and no cost-saving on salaries and wages.”

Former President of the Nigerian Society of Petroleum Engineers Joe Nwakwue said the only thing that the corporation could have done was to sell off the refineries.

“If you have a factory and is not producing, you will have to pay the gate man and the even the insurance company.”

The PHRC was commissioned in 1965. It was made up of two refineries: the old refinery was inaugurated in 1965 with capacity of 60,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) and the new refinery was inaugurated in 1989 with an installed capacity of 150,000 bpsd, according to the NNPC.

It has a capacity of 210,000 bpsd with five process areas. In 2000, the then government of Nigeria shut down the refinery for turnaround maintenance. Other three refineries in the country were also expected to undergo a similar process, Oil & Gas Journal said.

As of that time, $364 million had already been spent on endless turnaround maintenance (TAM) services. About $25 billion has been spent on turnaround maintenance in the past 25 years, according to The Guardian.

The Institute for Global Energy Research, in a 2004 article, said the barrage of corruption, poor management, sabotage and lack of the mandatory turnaround maintenance (TAM) every two years had made all the refineries inefficient, making them operate at about 40 per cent of full capacity.

The NNPC said in April 2020 that it would hand over the four refineries in the country to a private firm to manage.

“We are going to get an O&M contract; NNPC won’t run it. We are going to get a firm that will guarantee that this plant would run for some time. We want to try a different model of getting this refinery to run. And we are going to apply this process for the running of the other two refineries.”

However, this has not happened. Rather, the corporation has sought money to rehabilitate the failed refineries.

It has prided itself on cost-cutting efficiency, but its refineries have incurred humongous losses.

Analysts say NNPC has no cause to hold onto the running of the refineries, having shown no capacity to manage it.

Culled from the Sahara Reporters

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Houston

Membership Interest Soars After Sugar Land People’s Club’s Successful Induction

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5 days ago

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September 8, 2026

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Branch considers annual induction as August celebration of prestige, culture and comradeship inspires growing community interest

HOUSTON, TEXAS — Membership requests to the Sugar Land Branch of People’s Club of Nigeria International (PCNI) have risen significantly following its successful August induction ceremony, prompting the organization to consider making the event an annual affair.

Group Chairman, Hon. Prof. Chris Ulasi, confirmed the surge in interest, saying the branch has received numerous inquiries from prospective members since the ceremony that formally admitted 16 new members to the organization.

“The response since the induction has been remarkable. We have seen a significant increase in people asking about membership and how they can become part of the People’s Club family,” Ulasi said. “Many of them attended the event or heard about it afterward and were impressed by the fellowship, dignity, cultural pride, and genuine comradeship they witnessed.”

Ulasi said the development, including a possible change from the current bi-annual induction arrangement to an annual ceremony, would be discussed at the branch’s September general meeting.

The renewed interest in membership comes on the heels of an elaborate induction that attracted national officers, patrons, branch chairmen, members, and guests from across the People’s Club family.

National President, Atty. Fidelis Onyebueke, who presided over the swearing-in of the 16 inductees, described the event as a total success and commended the Sugar Land Branch, PCNI’s First International Branch, for what he called an exceptional celebration of fellowship, culture, service, and unity.

During the formal ceremony, each inductee was invited to the podium to take the membership oath and receive a certificate from the national president, who was assisted by PCNI Attorney Chukwuka John Ukadike.

Beyond the admission of new members, however, the event offered guests a public display of the traditions that have historically defined the People’s Club: prestige, love, service, and comradeship. Those characteristics were reflected throughout the ceremony, from the reception of national officers and interaction among members to the formal induction, cultural presentation, and extended social celebration that followed.

Grand Patron, Ide Obinna Nnanyelugo Mbachu, said the growing interest in membership was an indication that the organization’s values resonated with guests who experienced the event.

“What people witnessed was the character of People’s Club—the love among members, respect for one another, willingness to serve, and the comradeship that brings us together,” Mbachu said. “Prestige is not simply about appearance; it is about how we conduct ourselves and how we treat people. When the community sees those values demonstrated, it is understandable that others would want to become part of the organization.”

The cultural presentation was among the most visible features of the evening. Women members and associates appeared in coordinated traditional attire featuring red-pinkish blouses with matching head ties and white wrappers bearing the PCNI logo. The men wore all-white outfits complemented by customized PCNI cap pins and distinctive PCNI sashes worn as neckpieces.

The coordinated appearance created a colorful expression of Nigerian cultural identity while reinforcing the sense of unity that characterized the gathering.

As the formal program concluded, the ceremony transitioned into an extended social celebration. Members, inductees, and guests shared food and drinks before taking to the dance floor, with music and festivities continuing into the early hours of Sunday.

The presence of members and officials from different branches also gave the ceremony broader significance for Sugar Land, whose status as the First International Branch places it prominently in PCNI’s history outside Nigeria.

For Ulasi, however, the strongest indication of the event’s impact came afterward, as inquiries from prospective members continued to reach the branch.

He said that while the organization welcomes the increased interest, prospective members would be expected to understand the responsibilities and traditions associated with belonging to the People’s Club. “Membership is about much more than attending social events,” Ulasi said. “It is about service, friendship, responsibility, and commitment to one another. Those are the values we intend to preserve as the branch continues to grow.”

The September meeting is expected to consider how the branch will respond to increased membership interest and whether the success of the August ceremony provides sufficient grounds to move to an annual induction schedule. For the Sugar Land Branch, the aftermath of the August induction may prove as significant as the ceremony itself: 16 members entered the People’s Club that evening, but the celebration appears to have inspired many more to seek a place within its ranks.

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Houston

People’s Club Sugar Land Celebrates Landmark Induction of 16 New Members

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3 weeks ago

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August 24, 2026

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National President Atty. Fidelis Onyebueke hails First International Branch for a spectacular celebration of culture, fellowship and service

HOUSTON, TEXAS — The Sugar Land People’s Club of Nigeria International (PCNI), the organization’s First International Branch, has been declared a total success following a spectacular bi-annual induction ceremony that brought together national leaders, branch chairmen, patrons, members, and guests from across the People’s Club family.

National President Atty. Fidelis Onyebueke, who presided over the swearing-in ceremony, commended the Houston branch for delivering an outstanding event that reflected the organization’s enduring traditions of friendship, fellowship, service, and community.

Hon. Prof. Chris Ulasi, SLPCNI Chairman, leads the grand entrance of the national leadership during the induction ceremony, followed by National President Atty. Fidelis Onyebueke and his wife.

“The Houston branch has once again demonstrated what People’s Club represents at its very best. This was a beautifully organized and highly successful event, rich in culture, fellowship, dignity, and unity. I commend the leadership, members, and entire Houston family for an exceptional celebration worthy of the First International Branch.”

The ceremony witnessed the formal swearing-in of 16 new members, each of whom was individually invited forward to receive a certificate of membership from the national president. Onyebueke was assisted in administering the oath by PCNI Attorney Chukwuka John Ukadike.

Group Photo: Women Members and Associates of SLPCNI

The inductees joined an impressive gathering that reflected the diversity and strength of the People’s Club community. Members and guests traveled from various branches across the United States and beyond, transforming the Houston ceremony into a truly international gathering.

The cultural elegance of the occasion was equally striking. Women appeared in colorful, coordinated traditional attire, featuring red-pinkish blouses and matching head ties paired with white wrappers prominently designed with the PCNI logo. The ensemble created a distinctive and dignified traditional look. Men complemented the occasion with elegant all-white outfits, customized PCNI cap pins, and special PCNI sashes worn as neckpieces.

Among those in attendance were Grand Patron Ide Obinna Nnanyelugo Mbachu; Hon. Prof. Chris Ulasi, Group Chairman; patrons and chairmen from various branches, and People’s Club members representing chapters across the globe.

The formal proceedings eventually gave way to an extended celebration of friendship and camaraderie. Food, drinks, music, and dancing carried the festivities well beyond the scheduled program, continuing for hours into the early morning of Sunday.

For the Houston branch, the celebration represented more than the admission of new members. It reaffirmed the historic importance of the First International Branch and demonstrated the continuing strength of People’s Club as a transnational fellowship rooted in Nigerian identity, friendship, service, and mutual support.

The successful ceremony also underscored the organization’s ability to bring generations and branches together while preserving the cultural traditions that have sustained its membership across continents.

By the end of the celebration, Houston had delivered more than an induction. It had delivered a memorable demonstration of unity, culture, friendship, and organizational excellence—an event that fully embodied the People’s Club spirit.

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Houston

Houston Ready as People’s Club National President Arrives for Historic Sugar Land Branch Induction

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3 weeks ago

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August 20, 2026

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Atty. Fidelis Onyebueke’s arrival signals final preparations for the August 22 ceremony as the First International Branch prepares to welcome 17 new members into the People’s Club family

HOUSTON, TEXAS — Final preparations are underway in Houston as the Sugar Land People’s Club of Nigeria International (SPCNI), the First International Branch, puts the finishing touches on what promises to be a landmark evening of fellowship, leadership, and community celebration.

The arrival of Atty. Fidelis Onyebueke, National President of the People’s Club of Nigeria International, has added renewed excitement to the event, underscoring the significance of the Sugar Land branch and its place within the wider People’s Club family.

Grand Patron Ide Obinna Nnanyelugo Mbachu addresses Sugar Land PCNI’s August Conference. Insert: Atty. Fidelis Onyebueke, National President of the People’s Club of Nigeria International.

The organization will hold its 2026 Bi-Annual Induction Ceremony on Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 7:00 p.m. at the Igbo Catholic Community Hall, 8250 Creekbend Drive, Houston, Texas.

Seventeen distinguished men and women are expected to be formally inducted into the organization during the ceremony. The event is expected to bring together People’s Club members, community leaders, professionals, families, friends, and guests from Houston and beyond for an evening celebrating friendship, cultural identity, service, and community.

The arrival of Atty. Onyebueke is particularly significant because the Sugar Land organization is recognized as the First International Branch of People’s Club of Nigeria International.

Group photo during PCNI’s August Conference.

While People’s Club has grown into a broad network with branches in Nigeria, North America, and Europe, the Sugar Land branch occupies a unique place in that expansion. It represents the first international extension of the organization and continues to regard itself as a custodian of the principles established by the founders of People’s Club in Nigeria.

For the branch’s leadership, that history carries both pride and responsibility. Grand Patron Ide Obinna Nnanyelugo Mbachu said that the national leadership’s presence in Houston reinforces the importance of the occasion and the values the organization represents.

“This is more than an induction ceremony; it is a celebration of continuity, friendship, love, and service. The arrival of our National President makes this occasion even more meaningful because it connects our First International Branch directly with the larger People’s Club family. We are welcoming new members into a legacy that must be protected, strengthened, and passed forward.”

Mbachu said the organization’s enduring values remain relevant because they are rooted in the fundamental needs of society: friendship, mutual respect, fellowship, responsibility, and service.

 

From left: Inductee, Hon. Evangelist Philomena Umoh, Chief Executive Officer of BlessedComfort Home; New member, Hon. Shanteria Onyemem, Houston-based entrepreneur.

Among the seventeen inductees is Evangelist Philomena Umoh, Chief Executive Officer of BlessedComfort Home, a philanthropist and titled chief whose work and personal commitment to helping others have touched numerous lives. For Umoh, the forthcoming induction represents both a personal honor and an opportunity to join a community whose values closely align with her commitment to service.

“I am deeply honored and genuinely excited to become part of the People’s Club family. For me, this is not simply about receiving a title or joining a social organization. It is about belonging to a community that values friendship, service, love, compassion, and giving back. I look forward to contributing meaningfully and building lasting relationships.” Her induction adds another dimension to an occasion already defined by diversity of professional experience, community involvement, and public service.

From Left: Hon. Ike Nwokoye; Hon. Prof. Emmanuel Opara; Hon. Basil Mbuba; and Hon. Udoji Achebe.

 

Left: Hon. Sir Charles Eloka Ikebuaku, wife, and Hon. Dr. Chris Ulasi.

Hon. Prof. Chris Ulasi, the Group’s Chairman, said that the ceremony will represent an important moment for both the inductees and the organization. Ulasi said the branch is prepared to receive its new members and celebrate the enduring relationships that have sustained the organization.

“Everything is coming together for what we expect to be a memorable evening. We are excited to welcome our National President and our distinguished inductees. This ceremony is about strengthening the bonds that make our organization a true family.”

The chairman emphasized that membership is not merely ceremonial. According to him, those joining the organization become part of an established fellowship with expectations to participate, contribute, and help strengthen the community.

The August 22 event is expected to combine the formal traditions of induction with the warmth and conviviality for which the Sugar Land branch is known. For an organization rooted in Nigerian cultural traditions but operating in one of America’s most diverse metropolitan areas, the ceremony also represents the continuing evolution of the Nigerian-American community in Houston.

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