NMDPRA silent as Dangote allege economic sabotage on top Ahmed Farouk head

Di Chief Executive Officer of di Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, say im go kontinu to look di recent allegations from Aliko Dangote, Chairman and CEO of Dangote Industries Limited.

For one disclaimer wey NMDPRA release early Wednesday, Oga Ahmed explain say even say e know about di "wild and spurious allegations" wey dem make against am and im family, and di way e don cause wahala everiwia, e choose make e no enta public fight.

E tok say e dey grateful say di person wey make di allegations don carry am go formal investigative institution, and e believe say dat one go give room make dem calmly look into di matter and clear im name.

"My attention don come to one so-called response wey dem say na me tok concerning di recent allegations against my person. I wan clearly say dat statement no come from me.

"Even say I know about di wild and spurious allegations wey dem make against me and my family and di frenzy wey follow am, as regulator for one sensitive industry, I choose no to engage for public brickbat.

"Thankfully, di person behind di allegations don take am go formal investigative institution. I believe say dat one go allow dem look into di issues well-well and clear my name" Oga Ahmed tok.

ICPC confirm say dem receive Dangote petition against NMDPRA CEO

Di Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) don confam say dem receive one petition from businessman Aliko Dangote against di CEO of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed.

For one statement wey di spokesperson, John Odey, sign on Tuesday, di anti-graft agency tok say Dangote lawyer submit di petition earlier dat day.

"The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) write to confirm say e receive one formal petition today, Tuesday, 16th December, 2025, from Alhaji Aliko Dangote through im lawyer. Di petition dey against di CEO of NMDPRA, Alhaji Farouk Ahmed," di commission tok.

ICPC add say dem go subject di petition to proper investigation.

Aliko Dangote openly accuse one of di top oga dem for Nigeria petroleum sector of "economic sabotage".

Di richest man for Africa allege say Farouk Ahmed wey be di current oga kpatakpata for di Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) bin pay $5 million for four of im children secondary school for Switzerland.

For one press conference for im refinery for Lagos, Dangote say e no get anyhow wey oga Farouk Ahmed, wey don work almost all im carreer for govment, go fit afford dat kain money to spend on top im children education abroad.

"E (Farouk) suppose account for im action and demonstrate say e bin no compromise im position to di detriment of Nigerians. Wetin dey hapun amount to economic sabotage," Dangote tok.

"Di Code of Conduct Bureau, or any oda body wey di govment want, fit investigate dis matter. If e denies am, I no go only publish di tuition wey e bin pay for dose secondary schools, but I go also take legal steps to force di schools make dem disclose di payments wey Farouk bin make."

Dis na ogbonge allegation from Dangote, wey many pipo don describe as pesin wey no dey tok too much and anyhow.

E make dis allegation as e dey tok about how fuel importation still dey go on for Nigeria despite say di kontri, according to im, don get capacity now to dey refine crude oil and produce enuf petroleum products to serve even di entire West Africa.

"Plenty powerful interest full for di oil sector. E dey troubling say African kontris dey continue to import refined products despite long-standing calls for value addition and domestic refining. Di volume of imports wey dem dey allow into di kontri dey unethical and na disservice to Nigeria," Dangote tok.

Di BBC don reach out to George Ene-Ita wey be di tok-tok pesin for di NMDPRA, sake of dis allegations, but e say e no go comment.

Di regulator bin don previously accuse Dangote Refinery say dem wan bicom monopoly for Nigeria oil sector, and dem claim say di output of di refinery no fit meet local demand.

Nigeria, na di largest oil producer for Africa but for long, di kontri dey export crude oil for refining abroad and den import petroleum products.

However, di Dangote refinery get capacity to refine about 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, and e dey designed to refine crude locally and sell fuel for Naira, wey many sabi pipo tok say e go reduce di pressure of foreign exchange and help di Nigeria currency dey stronger.

Wetin be di NMDPRA

Di Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority start to dey exist for August 2021 and na product of di Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) of 2021.

Di NMDPRA na joinbodi of three former regulatory agencies: di Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA); di Petroleum Equalization Fund {Management} Board (PEFMB), and di Midstream and Downstream Divisions of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

Dia work na to dey check midstream and downstream petroleum operations for Nigeria.

Some of dia main responsibility according to di NMDPRA website na, among oda tins to:

Who be Farouk Ahmad?

Oga Ahmad na di first oga kpatakpata of NMDPRA afta di new Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) bin join three former agencies togeda to form di Authority in 2021.

Bifor dat time, im be one of di top oga dem for di Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC).

Farouk Ahmad also work for di Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and im rank bin also dey very high for dia.

Im na graduate of Engineering Technology from di Southern Illinois University Carbondale, USA.

E start im carrer for Apple Computer Inc. (wey dem later change to Apple Inc.), for Dallas, Texas, wia e bin work as logic board verification engineer

Im career for di oil sector don pass thirty-five years.