The Bata Modular Refinery project, presented in September 2020 by Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, then Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, and currently led by his successor, Antonio Oburu Ondo, Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mining Development, is shrouded in a veil of opacity that raises serious doubts about its true purpose. Although touted as a strategy to strengthen Equatorial Guinea’s energy security, the lack of transparency in its financing and the involvement of foreign actors in the operation of the project call into question its intentions. The project aims to produce refined fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), gasoline, diesel, and aviation kerosene. However, key details about its implementation—such as its operational structure, financing, and the companies involved—remain unclear. This growing uncertainty raises concerns about the potential hidden interests behind the initiative. Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the Vice President of the Government and self-styled advocate for transparency, has promoted the...