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When Nigeria’s House of Representatives announced yet another probe into the moribund state of the nation’s oil refineries and huge funds sunk into rehabilitating them, many Nigerians could hardly muster enthusiasm.

Many Nigerians expressed frustration that the federal government spent $18 billion to repair idle refineries, yet Aliko Dangote, an individual, built one of the largest functioning refineries from start to finish with $20 billion. Citizens are desperate for results and accountability, but the news of a fresh probe was not met with hope but with a sigh, a familiar reminder of years of fruitless investigations and unending promises.

Last Thursday, the House resolved to set up a new joint committee to investigate the $18 billion reportedly spent on the rehabilitation of Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries between 2010 and 2024. The joint committee will be composed of members drawn from the Committees on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream), Public Accounts, Anti-Corruption, Finance, and Legislative Compliance. It is tasked with investigating the funds appropriated and disbursed for the rehabilitation of the refineries in Port Harcourt (two), Kaduna and Warri.

The committee is also to ascertain the actual status of the refineries, examine how public funds were utilised, and identify agencies responsible for any infractions or mismanagement.

A familiar drama

This is not the first time lawmakers have launched such a probe, in fact, it is one of many. Just few months back, in July 2025, the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) inaugurated technical sub-committees to investigate investments in the Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) of local refineries and why the exercise has failed to yield any results.

Before that, in 2023, the House examined the N11.3 trillion allegedly spent by the Federal Government to rehabilitate the refineries between 2010 and 2020. Neither investigation produced a conclusive report or any meaningful accountability.

Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker who presided over the session, gave the committee four weeks to report back for further legislative action. Yet, few Nigerians expect much from that timeline. Similar deadlines have come and gone in previous probes, which ended with no public report or sanction.

For many citizens, the pattern is predictable: the House announces an investigation, committees are formed, and public hearings are held. But in the end, nothing changes. This repeated cycle has eroded public confidence not only in the National Assembly but also in the government’s willingness to enforce accountability.

Chidi Omeje, a Political analyst observer, described the repeated probes as ‘mere theatrics,’ arguing that they often serve political and financial interests rather than genuine reform.

That sense of futility is widely shared among Nigerians reacting to the development on social media. ‘Point out to me any probe successfully carried out by the Senate or the House of Representatives since the return of democracy in 1999. Every probe is always an avenue for them to collect bribes from the institutions they mark out to probe, which is very bad’, Olanusu Akin wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another user, @Briggsisgreat, posted sarcastically: ‘Oh wow, another investigation in Nigeria? Can’t wait for the thrilling sequel where absolutely nothing happens again.’ Similarly, @Okariauke commented: ‘When you hear ‘House of Representatives or Senate investigation into corruption matters,’ that only means settle us, you can’t eat all alone. I can bet that nothing would come out of the investigation.’

And for @DatKindguy, the numbers themselves are an indictment: ‘Wait I don’t get it. Dangote spent approximately $20bn to build a full scale refinery from scratch. Yet, the Nigerian government couldn’t even repair her own refineries with $18bn. This is totally absurd. It’s a huge public disgrace. The government is a joke.’

@Preston also wrote, ‘If an individual like Dangote could build a new refinery for $20 billion, then why is it so difficult for the Nigerian government to rehabilitate a once-functioning refinery? The mind-blowing thing is that they spent $18 billion and yet it’s still not working.’

The saga of Nigeria’s refineries reads like a tragic loop. Built in the 1970s and 1980s, they once symbolised industrial pride. By the 1990s, mismanagement, corruption, and neglect had reduced them to shells. Every administration since has pledged to fix them. None has succeeded.

In 2007, the Obasanjo government sold the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries to a consortium led by Dangote. But the sale was reversed months later by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who argued that the assets should remain under state control. The government opted instead for ‘rehabilitation’, a decision that has cost the country billions without producing a drop of refined petrol.

In 2021, the Buhari administration approved a $1.5 billion contract to revamp the Port Harcourt refinery. Four years later, it remains inactive. Meanwhile, Nigeria continues to import fuel often from refineries abroad using its own crude oil.

Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited recently admitted that the refineries are still non-functional despite significant investments. He even suggested that the government may eventually sell the plants, raising new questions about transparency, fiscal prudence, and long-term energy security.

Even as billions vanish into maintenance projects that never materialise, the NNPCL continues to request fresh funds for the same purpose. The Cost of Dysfunction

Despite being Africa’s largest crude oil producer, Nigeria paradoxically spends billions importing refined fuel. The removal of petrol subsidies by the Tinubu administration in 2023 has only deepened public frustration, as fuel prices have tripled and inflation surged to record highs.

Experts warn that without functional refineries, Nigeria’s economy will remain exposed to global market shocks. The government’s inability to refine crude domestically also deprives it of thousands of industrial jobs and billions in foreign exchange savings.

‘The refineries are not just assets; they’re symbols of our dysfunction. Each probe without punishment sends a message that corruption pays’, Innocent Okechukwu, a political critic, said.

As lawmakers prepare to summon ministers, contractors, and NNPC executives yet again, the prevailing mood is one of scepticism, not hope. The refineries may someday roar back to life, but until transparency and accountability become more than words, most Nigerians have stopped believing.

Africa stands on the threshold of a technological awakening. For centuries, the continent’s narrative has often been written through the lens of exploitation, poverty, and underdevelopment. But today, a new story is emerging – one shaped by innovation, digital transformation, and the limitless creativity of its youth. At the heart of this transformation lies Artificial Intelligence (AI) – a force that offers Africa a historic opportunity to redefine its destiny.

AI is not just another wave of technology but a revolution in thinking, learning, and creating. It can close historical gaps, accelerate development, and help Africa leapfrog traditional barriers that once seemed insurmountable. If harnessed wisely, AI could become Africa’s greatest equaliser – unlocking prosperity, dignity, and self-reliance for generations to come.

Quote to reflect on:

‘Artificial intelligence will not replace Africans. But Africans who understand and apply AI with wisdom will redefine the world.’ – Lere Baale

1. AI as the great equaliser

Artificial intelligence enables machines to mimic human intelligence – learning, reasoning, and adapting through data. For Africa, this means the chance to leapfrog industrial stages of development and tackle long-standing challenges in health, education, agriculture, and governance.

In healthcare, AI can aid in remote disease diagnosis, predict epidemics, and help bridge medical shortages.

In agriculture, it can optimise crop yields, monitor soil conditions, and reduce post-harvest losses.

In education, AI-driven platforms can personalise learning in local languages, democratising access to quality instruction.

In finance, it can expand financial inclusion through mobile credit, digital identity, and fraud prevention.

AI allows Africa to move from the periphery of innovation to the centre of creation – from dependency to digital sovereignty.

‘Africa must also embrace vocational and online learning platforms, ensuring that even rural youths can acquire AI-related skills.’

2. The power of Africa’s youth: A demographic dividend

Africa’s greatest asset is not its minerals or land but its youthful population. Over 400 million Africans are under the age of 35. This vibrant generation, born in the digital era, possesses the adaptability, creativity, and energy to lead the AI revolution.

African youths are not afraid of technology; they are immersed in it. From Lagos to Nairobi and Kigali to Accra, young innovators are already applying AI in fintech, edtech, agritech, and healthtech solutions. Their challenge is not a lack of capacity but rather an opportunity – access to infrastructure, funding, mentorship, and supportive policies.

If adequately empowered through education and innovation ecosystems, these youths can become architects of Africa’s new digital destiny.

3. Education and skills: The cornerstone of AI transformation

To fully unlock the potential of AI, Africa must rethink its education systems. Traditional rote learning must be replaced by creative problem-solving, critical thinking, and digital literacy.

Governments, schools, and private institutions must integrate AI and data science education from early stages, teaching not only coding and algorithms but also ethics, social impact, and innovation. Universities should partner with technology firms to establish AI research hubs, incubators, and internships. Africa must also embrace vocational and online learning platforms, ensuring that even rural youths can acquire AI-related skills. The goal is not just to produce programmers but to nurture AI thinkers and doers – Africans who can use technology to solve uniquely African problems.

4. Ethical and inclusive AI: Building with Ubuntu

As Africa embraces AI, it must do so guided by its cultural and moral heritage – the spirit of Ubuntu, which means ‘I am because we are.’ Technology must serve people, not replace them.

Africa’s AI revolution must be inclusive, ethical, and human-centred. It must bridge divides, not deepen them. AI should protect privacy, promote fairness, and respect cultural diversity. Policymakers must create frameworks that ensure AI works for social good – from digital rights and data protection to equitable access and gender inclusion.

By embedding African values of community, empathy, and justice into AI design, the continent can contribute to global innovation and the moral soul of technology itself.

5. Overcoming barriers: From challenges to catalysts

The road ahead is not without obstacles – inadequate infrastructure, unreliable power, poor internet access, and weak policy coordination remain pressing issues. But these challenges can become catalysts for creativity.

African entrepreneurs have long thrived on limited resources. The same ingenuity that gave birth to mobile money, off-grid solar, and local digital marketplaces can be harnessed for AI development. Regional collaboration through bodies such as the African Union, AfCFTA, and Smart Africa can create shared data frameworks, AI policies, and innovation hubs that span borders.

The private sector, academia, and government must work hand in hand to ensure that AI drives inclusive development – not an imported luxury, but a homegrown transformation engine.

6. Reimagining Africa’s future through AI

Imagine an Africa where drones monitor crops across the Sahel, AI-powered learning platforms teach children in their native languages, digital health assistants serve remote villages, and predictive analytics help governments plan more effective cities.

This is not a distant dream – it is an attainable future if Africa invests strategically in its youth, education, and infrastructure. AI can redefine what progress looks like, making development smarter, faster, and more equitable.

As AI redefines global power structures, Africa can leap from the margins to the mainstream – to shape the future rather than chase it.

Conclusion: From potential to purpose

AI offers Africa a historic opportunity to catch up with the world and redefine it. With visionary leadership, strong institutions, and empowered youth, Africa can emerge as the world’s next hub for digital creativity and innovation.

But technology alone is not enough. It must be guided by wisdom, rooted in values, and directed toward the well-being of people. Africa’s destiny will not be rewritten by machines but by the minds that master them with integrity and imagination.

This is Africa’s moment to rise, innovate, and lead. The continent’s youth must seize it boldly, for the future of AI is not just artificial – it is deeply African.

Lere Baale is the CEO of Business School Netherlands International in Nigeria and is widely recognised as a Student of Grace, a Kingdom Ambassador, a Servant Leader, a Systems Thinker, and a Steward of Transformation.