Investigation The most scandalous aspect of all is that the Hong Kong-based company, Consolidated International Refinery Development Limited (CIRDL), which will finance 56% of the construction of the Bata refinery—spanning 15.4 hectares just 10 kilometers from Mbini, the country’s shadowy economic capital—was established with a capital of only 1,000 HKD (approximately 128 USD) on August 9, 2022. This occurred just seven days before the signing of the "Heads of Agreement" with GEpetrol in the presence of Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue. This is inconceivable for a company supposedly tasked with financing a project estimated at 450 million dollars. In light of this evidence, the question arises: who is truly behind the financing of the Bata refinery? To answer this, Diario Rombe traced the steps of Michael Orji Ugochukwu, a key player in this dark puzzle surrounding Antonio Oburu Ondo, in the hopes of uncovering the hidden interests behind this controversial project. This investigative article from Diario Rombe dives into the complex dynamics and opaque companies surrounding the Bata refinery—a project that, far from representing a model of progress, may reflect the corrupt power structures that have shaped the recent history of Equatorial Guinea. https://diariorombe.es/economia/the-bata-refinery-a-lucrative-project-cementing-antonio-oburu-ondos-shadowy-business-empire/