The Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, is facing increasing scrutiny following plans to disburse over ₦200 billion in outstanding bridging claims to oil marketers, the Dangote Group stated in a press release to Channels Television on Wednesday.
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According to the statement, which cited industry sources, the proposed payments—covering legacy claims for 2023, 2024, and 2025—have raised concerns among economists and sector analysts due to a lack of verifiable data supporting a significant portion of the claims. Bridging claims are government payments made to oil marketers to cover the costs of transporting petroleum products from depots to different parts of the country, ensuring uniform pump prices nationwide.
“Analysts note that the benefits of these claims rarely reach Nigerians, as petroleum products are often sold at higher rates in many regions. In some cases, marketers submit bridging claims that do not align with levies paid per litre, with discrepancies reaching up to 47 per cent. The current plan to settle roughly ₦250 billion in legacy claims, despite the regulator’s failure to substantiate nearly half of them against verified levies from depot owners and importers, points to potential irregularities,” the statement read.
The release urged the Auditor-General of the Federation to immediately halt all bridging claim payments until a comprehensive forensic audit is conducted to ensure claims approved by the NMDPRA accurately reflect actual levies paid.
This controversy comes amid a corruption petition filed by Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of Dangote Industries Limited, to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The petition accuses Farouk of abusing his office, unlawfully enriching himself, and diverting public funds.
Dangote’s petition, submitted through his lawyer Ogwu Onoja (SAN), alleges that Farouk spent over $7 million on the education of his four children in Switzerland, reportedly paid upfront for six years, without any legitimate source of income to justify such expenditure.
The petition stated: “Engr Farouk Ahmed has grossly abused his office contrary to the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, enmeshing himself in monumental corruption and unlawful spending of public funds totaling millions of dollars. He spent over $7 million of public funds on the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for six years upfront, without evidence of lawful income.”
Dangote provided the names of the children, the Swiss schools, and the amounts allegedly paid for each to enable the ICPC to verify the claims. He further alleged that Farouk exploited the NMDPRA to divert public funds for personal gain, fueling public outrage and recent protests by civil society groups.
Dangote argued that given Farouk’s entire career in the Nigerian public sector, it would have been impossible for him to legitimately accumulate the funds used for his children’s foreign education. He urged the ICPC to arrest, investigate, and prosecute Farouk, noting that if convicted, the offense carries a five-year prison term without the option of a fine.
Dangote also pledged to provide documentary evidence to substantiate his claims and expressed confidence that the ICPC, in collaboration with other anti-corruption agencies, would hold the NMDPRA chief accountable.
The ICPC has confirmed receipt of the petition. Its spokesperson, John Okor Odey, stated: “The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) confirms it received a formal petition today, Tuesday 16th December 2025, from Alhaji Aliko Dangote through his lawyer. The petition is against the CEO of the NMDPRA, Alhaji Farouk Ahmed. The ICPC assures the public that the matter will be duly investigated.”
