Nigeria’s oil and gas industry has become embroiled in fresh controversy following confirmation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that it will probe a petition filed against the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, by Dangote Group Chairman, Aliko Dangote.
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In the petition dated December 16, 2025, and submitted through his counsel, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), Dangote urged the anti-graft agency to investigate and prosecute Ahmed over alleged corruption and financial misconduct. The petition alleged that the NMDPRA boss spent over $7 million on the education of his four children in Switzerland, with the fees reportedly paid upfront for six years, without any verifiable lawful income to justify the expenditure.
Dangote accused Ahmed of abusing his office in violation of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and engaging in what he described as massive corruption involving the unlawful use of public funds. He provided details of the children involved, the schools they attend in Switzerland, and the alleged sums paid, stating that the information would aid the ICPC’s investigation.
According to Dangote, the alleged diversion of public funds through the NMDPRA has fueled public outrage and protests by civil society groups. He argued that the accusations fall squarely within offences empowered under Section 19 of the ICPC Act and warned that conviction could attract a prison sentence of up to five years without an option of fine.
Confirming receipt of the petition, ICPC spokesperson John Odey said the commission had formally acknowledged the complaint and would subject it to due investigation in line with its statutory mandate.
However, the allegations have drawn strong pushback from various quarters. A coalition of 40 lawyers operating under the banner of Lawyers in Defence of Democracy and Anti-Corruption dismissed the claims as unfounded and described them as a calculated media trial aimed at damaging Ahmed’s reputation without due process.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the group’s National Coordinator, Emeka Okafor, and Secretary, Mohammed Bello, described the claims of millions of dollars allegedly spent on foreign education as reckless fabrications lacking credible evidence. They insisted that Ahmed’s regulatory actions were in the national interest, particularly in addressing monopolistic tendencies in the petroleum sector and encouraging broader investor participation.
The lawyers warned that public trials conducted through the media could undermine investor confidence, especially at a time when the Federal Government is pursuing economic recovery under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. They stressed that grievances should be addressed through appropriate legal and institutional channels.
Student bodies and civil society organisations also weighed in. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) rejected what it described as attempts to blackmail or intimidate a statutory regulator. In a joint statement, NANS leaders said the NMDPRA must be allowed to operate independently and warned against character assassination of public officials.
While noting its past support for the Dangote Refinery during operational challenges, NANS said it would not condone reputational attacks against officials it described as credible and professional. The group called for engagement with regulators through lawful processes rather than public campaigns that could erode confidence in national institutions.
More than 50 civil society organisations similarly dismissed the allegations, describing them as baseless and unsupported by evidence. Representing the coalition, Comrade Ibrahim Bello of the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity said internal assessments found no substance in the claims against Ahmed, which he described as an attempt to undermine the regulator’s anti-monopoly posture.
Industry stakeholders have also taken sides. The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) expressed support for the NMDPRA leadership and cautioned that public attacks on regulators could scare away investors. PETROAN’s leadership passed a vote of confidence in Ahmed, citing reforms, regulatory clarity, and improved transparency in the downstream sector.
The association also criticised public pronouncements on petrol pricing, warning that such actions contravene the Petroleum Industry Act, which provides for market-driven pricing. PETROAN further raised concerns over unresolved labour disputes involving unions at the Dangote Refinery, warning that prolonged conflicts could disrupt supply and destabilise prices.
Dangote, however, has maintained his position. At a briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, he called for a full probe into Ahmed’s financial activities and urged him to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal to publicly explain the source of funds used for his children’s education. He alleged that the regulator’s actions could amount to economic sabotage capable of weakening public trust and investor confidence.
The NMDPRA had previously rejected similar allegations earlier in 2025, describing them as coordinated smear campaigns designed to discredit its leadership. Since the commencement of operations at the Dangote Refinery, tensions between the refinery and the regulator have been marked by disputes over import licences, crude supply access, pricing transparency, and the role of domestic refineries in Nigeria’s fuel supply.
As the ICPC begins its investigation, the controversy has once again exposed deep fault lines within Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, where regulatory authority, private investment interests, and market reforms continue to intersect. Stakeholders have called for due process, restraint, and constructive engagement to preserve stability and investor confidence in the industry.
